Deputy President William Ruto has said he is rightfully elected and will not quit government a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta challenged him to resign.
Speaking to mourners at Rashia village in Taita-Taveta County, Ruto said he will not be intimidated by threats from some state officials stating that he is on a mission and his character cannot allow him to retreat.
He claimed they were frustrating his campaigns to sell his bottom-up economic agenda in the country.
“I promise to stay put in the Jubilee regime and I won’t retreat or surrender despite mounting calls for me to resign if I do not agree with Uhuru’s agenda to unite the country,” he said.
“I am a man of vision and I have no space to retreat and the luxury to surrender.”
Ruto was speaking at the burial of the Mahoo MCA Ronald Sagurani who succumbed to Covid-19.
Sagurani was elected through Jubilee and served as the assembly’s leader of the minority.
Police temporarily disrupted the burial over alleged violation of Covid-19 protocols.
Security officers stormed the late MCA’s home in Mahoo Ward where they dismantled tents and chased away mourners claiming they had exceeded the allowed number as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health.
His sentiments come barely a day after the President dared him to resign from the government over his charges against the administration.
Speaking in a meeting with the country’s senior editors at the State House, Kenyatta criticised Ruto for condemning the same government that he serves yet being unwilling to get out.
“I have an agenda that I was elected on. The honourable thing to do if you are not happy with it is to step aside and allow those who want to move on to do so then take the agenda to the people,” he said.
“You must decide where you want to. Not to sing praises of the government and speak another language the other side.”
The Head of the State said that he had no problem with Ruto building his political base.
The attempt to review the Constitution under the BBI was the most dangerous project in the country’s history, Deputy President William Ruto has said.
On the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), the DP said the Constitutional amendment would install an imperial president who would control all the arms of the government.
Speaking at his Karen residence during a meeting with leaders drawn from Makueni County, Ruto added that BBI would have rolled back the democratic gains since independence.
“It was going to install an imperial president who would control the Judiciary, the Executive, and the Legislature. It was simply dangerous. We thank God BBI failed. Let us not lie to ourselves and to the people,” he added.
