My boss refused to have a chat with me, Ruto says

Deputy President William Ruto. [Samson Wire, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto has revealed that his efforts to have a dialogue with President Uhuru Kenyatta have not borne any fruits.

The president and his deputy fell out after the Uhuru’s March 9 handshake with former Prime minister Raila Odinga, a spat that has spilt to the public.

During KTN News’ town hall meeting on Thursday night, the DP disclosed that he had made an unsuccessful attempt at having a dialogue with his boss through the intervention of clergymen.

“I really regret that my relationship with the president got to where it is. Honestly, I do not know why. I have even asked him to prove when I insulted him but he has said nothing,” the DP claimed.

“The Bishops have even talked to us separately. After speaking to him, they came to me and I requested to have a chat with him (president Uhuru Kenyatta). He refused. Ask the ACK Bishop,”

When questioned about the viral audio that was leaked to the public last weekend, he said ‘Nobody can slap the president’.

In his defence, he said he was acting in good faith supporting a friend who is almost giving up.

“He was almost giving up and he said William is tired I want to go back to Ichaweri (his rural area). I told him, my friend, you are not going to do that. That is what a friend will do, support a friend who is giving up. I have come a long way with him,” he defended his remarks.

“There are things I did not say, like when I said I will not tell them what the situation was like. I just wanted to make a point which I did. I have not exposed him it is the truth,”

The leaked audio recording revealed Ruto was locked in a heated argument that almost turned into a physical confrontation with his boss President Uhuru Kenyatta in the hours following the annulment of their 2017 election win.

The recording, in which DP Ruto is heard addressing Kikuyu elders in a meeting held on Friday at his official Karen residence in Nairobi, sheds light on the tense hours following the unprecedented judgement of the Supreme Court.

“Here is the President and he says he is not keen on taking part in the repeat elections and that he wants to go to Ichaweri (his home village in Kiambu County), that we should abandon this thing. I looked at him and told him ‘you!’ It’s only that I was being respectful, I would have slapped him. How could we just quit?” Ruto said in the recording.