Deputy President (DP) William Ruto on Sunday hit out at Orange Democratic Movement leader, Raila Odinga, accusing him of trying to wreck Jubilee Party from within and using the handshake to create confusion in government.
In a fiery speech at St Paul’s Makongi fundraiser in Soy Constituency, DP Ruto said the handshake had dismembered the opposition and destroyed the National Super Alliance.
“BBI [Building Bridges Initiative] was supposed to unite Kenyans and end chaotic and divisive elections…It has led to stalling of government projects. It was evident in Kisii County that ODM were planning their 2022 campaigns,” said Mr Ruto.
Earlier, the DP had hit out at the ODM party for allegedly hijacking BBI to craft their 2023 political line up.
“We accept that BBI/handshake has been hijacked to craft Odm’s 2022 political line up. Unity/inclusivity pretence and associated squander of public resources should stop.Unity? The opposition (Nasa) is already dismembered/dead;now dividing Jubilee. Big 4roll out only way to go,” Ruto said on Twitter before repeating the same comments at the church fundraiser.
The Deputy President also warned civil servants against disobeying court orders, a comment coming just a day after Gatundu South MP was freed from police cells.
The MP spent a night in police custody despite a court order authorising his release after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman at Royal Media Services.
“The Constitution is not a book, it is the law. Court orders are not pieces paper, it is the law,” said Ruto warning that any contrary action risks country sliding into dictatorship.
“I want to say, for any avoidance of doubt, that there are no more orders from above. Orders from above were stopped by the new Constitution. Any decision of the President must be in writing. No public official should say they got orders from above unless they are in writing,” said DP Ruto.
The DP said all public officials will be held accountable for their actions, warning that there are no exceptions to respecting the rule of law.
“The slide into anarchy and dictatorship starts when we disrespect the rule of law,” said Dr Ruto.
