Ruto says Uhuru, Raila bitter and out to sabotage his government

President William Ruto when he issued title deeds to residents of Ciampiu in Mwingi North, Kitui County, on Thursday, July 13, 2023. [Jonah Mwangi, PCS]

President William Ruto has publicly accused his former boss Uhuru Kenyatta sponsoring demonstrations against his administration.

The Head of State said the demonstrations were aimed at sabotaging plans to actualize his development plans for the country.

Without mentioning the former president by name, Ruto blamed ODM leader Raila Odinga and “his handshake brother” for inciting Kenyans and sponsoring “chaos and anarchy” against his government due to the rising cost of living.

He said the ‘handshake brothers’ were still bitter after he defeated them in the last elections, and they had ganged up to cause chaos in the country in a desperate attempt to topple him.

Ruto however stated that his administration will not be cowed by the demonstrations, which he dismissed as a waste of time because they are not a solution to the high cost of living.  

“To the handshake brothers, I know you very well. I know the financing that you are doing to orchestrate violence and chaos so as to enslave the nation. You will not succeed,” Ruto said in a dig aimed at his predecessor and ODM leader Odinga.

Ruto was speaking in Ciampiu, Tharaka ward in Kiuti County where he issued 10,000 title deeds to the residents.

He claimed that Uhuru and Raila had hatched a plot to sabotage his government because of the strategic plans he has put in place to address poverty, hunger and unemployment among the youth.  

Protestors during anti-government protests in Nakuru City on July 12, 2023. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

“They know that if they give me a little time, they will never catch up so they have resorted to sponsoring chaos and anarchy because they want to keep the county chained in poverty. They want us to remain chained on these problems but we will unchain ourselves whether they like it or not,” he said.

The president asked the opposition, particularly Raila and the former president to allow Kenyans to judge him and the performance of his administration instead of working to destabilise him.

“They had their time and failed. They only succeeded in sinking the country into debt but the country is ready and ripe for change and Kenya is going to move forward,” he said.

Ruto maintained that his administration will work with all elected leaders, even those from the opposition to advance the development agenda.

While commending Kitui Governor Julius Malombe for allocating a substantial budget for water projects, the president said his government will collaborate with the county government to invest more in the projects in a bid to make the region's water secure.

He also responded to the governor’s call for the revival of Wikithuki irrigation scheme in Mwingi North and the completion of tarmac works for Migwani – Mbondoni section which is part of Kibwezi – Kitui – Mwingi road.

The national government will also collaborate with the county government to construct the proposed Nzamba Kitonga hospital at Mutitu in Kitui East in honour of the late chairman of the Committee of Experts that midwifed the Constitution 2010.