‘Go and ask Uhuru,’ DP Ruto tells Raila over Jubilee administration failures

Deputy President William Ruto has hit out at Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga telling him to direct his concerns and criticisms over the Jubilee administration’s failures directly to President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The DP spoke on Sunday during a series of roadside rallies in Dagoretti South constituency after attending a church service at the Consolata Shrine in Westlands.

Responding to criticism from the former premier over unfulfilled 2017 election promises such as the free laptop project, DP Ruto said the questions should be directed, not at him, but at his boss.

“Kama uko na shida na performance ya serikali ya Jubilee, tafuta Uhuru Kenyatta kwa simu ama umtembelee ofisini umwambie kwamba iko shida na performance ya serikali ya Jubilee. Wacha kiburi na madharau ya kuja kumzungumzia rais kwa rally,” he said.

The DP appeared to depart from a position he held previously where he said in an interview with Citizen TV that the performance of the Jubilee government is a collective responsibility of both President Kenyatta and himself as the deputy.

“The fact that I am elected deputy president means that, if things go wrong in this government, President Uhuru Kenyatta and I will be the ones to be asked,” said DP Ruto during the April 2019 interview.

The performance of the Jubilee administration has been the subject of a barely civil exchange between Ruto and former prime minister Raila, leading to the DP’s clapback at Dagoretti.

“Namwambia bwana kitendawili, wacha siasa duni my friend, wacha siasa ya pesa nane. Performance ya serikali ya Jubilee ya Uhuru na Ruto haiwezi kulinganishwa na ile miaka yote wewe umekuwa serikalini. It cannot match, you have nothing to show except ile mambo ya kupiganisha watu na kuzunguka na fitina,” stated DP Ruto.

The manner and tone of the Dagoretti rallies was that of a fully fledged election campaign, with the DP and his allies openly hinting at the breaking of ranks with President Kenyatta.

“Kama hii gari ya Jubilee imeharibika, William Ruto ni makanga, gari iko na driver. Gari ikiingia kwa mtaro, ni driver anaulizwa ama ni makanga? Sasa huyu William Ruto ni makanga, kama unaona gari imeingia kwa mtaro unauliza yeye nini?” Posed Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua.