William Ruto: Uhuru, Raila-allied legislators ask DP to quit to pursue 2022 ambitions

About seventy lawmakers allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta and his new political associate Raila Odinga Wednesday asked Deputy President William Ruto to quit his role and focus on 2022 campaigns.

The legislators, among them Kieni’s Kanini Kega, said Ruto was no longer effectively performing his role as the president’s principal assistant having allowed his political ambitions to cloud his office.

“William Ruto must shape up or ship out. He needs time and undivided attention to pursue the only thing that makes sense and has meaning in his life — dream and campaign for the 2022 presidential elections,” the MPs said.

The legislators said they will not ‘seat down and watch’ as the Deputy President attacks the President and agencies within the criminal justice system.

The sentiments by the leaders who included Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala come after the DP dared unnamed government officials using proxies to face him instead.

“If they are men enough, let them face me ,” the DP, who had earlier said “enough is enough” asserted.

He said as an elected Deputy President, he owes no one an apology for speaking his mind.

Also present during the Wednesday press briefing was Embakasi legislator Babu Owino and his nominated counterpart Maina Kamanda, who have specifically picked a war with the DP for attacking institutions within the criminal justice sector.

“Once you are elected as Deputy President, you work is to support the President. But what he has been doing is sabotaging the President and our appeal to him is, if he cannot respect his oath, let him quit,” Kega said.

“This is a warning; we shall not remain silent again.”

Senator Malala said the DP should know that there is “only one President. The instruments of power were handed over to President Uhuru Kenyatta.”

But where did it all start?

While the tension between ODM leader Raila Odinga and the Deputy President have existed for months, the situation worsened following the murder of Sergeant Kipyegon Kenei.

Kenei was a police officer based at the Harambee House Annex and is the one who welcomed former Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa, his accomplices and two foreign military dealers to the premises.

Echesa is accused of using the office to secure a fake military supply deal amount to Sh39 billion.

The DP has accused Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) of being used by the deep state to intimidate him following the murder of Kenei – who is said to have played a crucial role to facilitate Echesa and his accomplices.

“If they killed Kenei so that they can intimidate me then I want to tell them that I am ready but keep in mind that his blood will not be in vain,” DP Ruto said during the officer’s burial last week.

“I am aware of what has been planned for me, but I am ready,” he asserted.

The leaders calling for Ruto’s resignation also questioned the DP’s integrity record.