Ruto anatangatanga comment by Uhuru causes a stir

President Uhuru Kenyatta has caused a stir following a statement he made on Wednesday about Deputy President William Ruto during an event in Nairobi’s Embakasi East area.

The president had launched the Nairobi Regeneration Program which will see the reconstruction of roads in 11 constituencies in Nairobi’s Eastlands. He was accompanied by among others  DP Ruto, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, and Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia.

Addressing the residents, President Kenyatta said: “Hii kijana anaitwa Ruto unajua kila weekend anatangatanga kila mahali… atakua anapitia hizi machorochoro mkiona kuna kitu inaenda konakona mumuambie. Tuhakikishe kazi ya wananchi imefanyika… Tumekubaliana? Wangapi wanasema tuache siasa tuende kazi?” posed Uhuru as the crowd cheered.

Loosely translated: “The Deputy President comes around these areas a lot and if you see anything wrong with the progress of the project you can inform him. Let us ensure services are delivered to Kenyans.”

President Kenyatta warned contractors against the tendency to take short cuts, urging citizens to monitor the progress of the project and report to authorities if they see that work is not being done.

Some online audiences are reading 2022 politics in the statement while some say it was made in jest.

State House has in the meantime dismissed any suggestion that this was an attack by the president on his deputy.