President William Ruto has fired back at Azimio One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga over claims that the August 2022 elections were rigged to favour his victory.
He was Speaking in Gatundu during the burial ceremony of Pauline Nyokabi the elder sister of Cabinet Secretary(CS) for Investments, Trade and Industry Moses Kuria.
He responded to Raila who was leading protests at the Kamukunji grounds aimed at giving insight on the party’s stand after revelations by an IEBC whistleblower that he won the August 9, 2022 elections with far more votes than President Ruto did.
President Ruto dismissed the protests from the opposition citing them as attempts to blackmail the government into a handshake, ostensibly to get a share of the Kenya kwanza administration.
He said that he will not give in to a handshake and urged the opposition leader to focus on his oversight role.
“All that these people want is a share of government. But I want to tell them openly to forget anything to do with the handshake. Don’t tell us you don’t want a handshake. It’s clear to us that is what you want,” Ruto said.
“You played the same tricks with President Daniel Moi and managed to get something. You staged protests and got a share of Mwai Kibaki’s government. You threatened Uhuru Kenyatta and got a handshake in return. If you think you can blackmail me into a handshake you are dreaming,” he added.
The Head of State also dismissed plans by the opposition to audit the 2022 elections saying that the presidential results were transparent.
He said that the electoral body had opened its servers to the public for scrutiny during the electioneering period and all the results are on the portal.
During the protests, Raila said that the party does not recognise Ruto as the country’s President and that the Kenya Kwanza government is illegitimate.
