There is no bad blood between me and President Uhuru, DP Ruto says

Deputy President William Ruto at Sogoo High School during a church funds drive on Sunday when he said there was no bad blood between him and  President Uhuru Kenyatta. [Photo/Robert Kiplagat/Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto has refuted claims that his relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta is on the rocks, terming the reports as propaganda being spread by prophets of doom.

Speaking during an inter-denominational prayer service at Sogoo High School grounds in Narok County, yesterday, Ruto said he has never taken offence of any reference to him by the President.

“I saw today they have filled newspapers with lies. I want to help them by asking them to believe in God and not in themselves. Eti wanasema sijui kutangatanga, mara Kijana (They are saying I’m loitering and referring to me as a young man). I personally have not complained, who are you to purport to complain on my behalf,” posed the DP.

Ruto added that his tour of the country was approved by the President and his opponents were only spelling doom to wreck the party.

Eviction of settlers

He said as top Jubilee leaders, they knew where they began and where they were headed, and that his critics should stop wasting their time trying to create imaginary divisions between him and the President.

“When we chose to dissolve URP and TNA, we did it deliberately to unite all Kenyan communities and to bring transformative development. Sisi hatujatupa network (We have not lost direction). We know where we are going,” the DP assured.

He asked those spreading the falsehoods to turn to God, saying nothing happens without His (God’s) knowledge.

Ruto’s reaction comes after a section of the media yesterday reported that since the much-hyped handshake between Uhuru and ODM leader Raila Odinga the bromance between the two Jubilee leaders had diminished.

He asked elected Jubilee Party leaders to be in the forefront in defending and implementing the Government agenda.

On the controversial Mau Forest, Ruto has called for eviction of settlers who encroached beyond the cut-line, adding that those who were in the settlement scheme would be issued with title deeds.

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja echoed the DP’s sentiments, saying the ‘marriage’, which was marked at Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium in 2013, was still intact.

“I was a young man serving as TNA Chairman when the union between the two leaders was formed. My URP counterpart Francis ole Kaparo and I exchanged caps as a sign of unity. The sole objective of dissolving the two parties was to unite all Kenyans, and nothing has changed,” said Mr Sakaja.