A section of Rift Valley leaders allied to
Deputy President William Ruto are now asking President Uhuru Kenyatta to
dissolve government following the rampant corruption allegations facing
his administration.
This came even
as those close to ODM chief Raila Odinga, led by Senate Minority leader
James Orengo and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, called for the DP’s
resignation instead for allegedly opposing the war on corruption.
HANDSHAKE
Some
Jubilee leaders also want Mr Odinga to retire from politics as the war
of words between Dr Ruto and the ODM leader escalated Sunday.
Kimilili
MP Didmus Barasa and his Kapseret counterpart Oscar Sudi claimed the
current war on corruption is a witchhunt engineered by leaders who are
against the DP’s candidature for the presidency in 2022.
Mr Barasa hit out at the ODM chief for using the handshake and the war on graft to fight Dr Ruto.
The Kimilili MP and Mr Sudi dared President Kenyatta to take a bold move and dissolve government.
“If
President Kenyatta believes corruption is rampant in his government
then he ought to dissolve it and call for a fresh election to weed out
leaders perceived to be corrupt,” said Mr Barasa.
Mr Sudi told the President to declare his stand on the proposed referendum.
“The
President must declare his stand if he is advocating for a referendum
to create room for him to contest for the presidency in 2022 and to
betray the pact he has with the Deputy President,” Mr Sudi said.
PAWN
Speaking
at a funds drive in aid of AIC Kimoson Church in Kapseret constituency,
Uasin Gishu County, Mr Barasa claimed the handshake is being used to
weaken the DP politically.
Mr Sudi
cautioned the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti against
being used by certain individuals in government to fight Dr Ruto.
“The
work that is being done by Kinoti in the name of fighting corruption is
not genuine. He is being used as a pawn in the alleged war on
corruption. If he is not careful he will be used and dumped the same way
the former ECK (Electoral Commission of Kenya) chairman Samuel Kivuitu
was treated,” Mr Sudi said.
Uasin
Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, who was also present, questioned the
manner in which the anti-graft war is being fought, saying some people
in government who are not comfortable with the DP are manufacturing
scandals to portray him as a corrupt leader.
However, Mr Orengo and Mr Otiende said Dr Ruto cannot go against his boss.
“All
over the world, when the President speaks, a good deputy keeps quiet
and respects (the decisions). Those working for Jubilee must make a
choice either to work with the President or not,” said Mr Orengo.
OLD GUARD
He claimed ministries that are under scrutiny for corruption falls under portfolios given to Dr Ruto.
“Ruto
should either keep quiet or say he can no longer work with the
President who he was elected with. The guilty are usually afraid. When
corruption is mentioned he comes out loudly,” said Mr Orengo.
Mr Otiende challenged Dr Ruto to own up that he is corrupt and stop defending rogue contractors.
“When
the government commits itself to fight corruption and you come out and
claim the government is being misled, then it means you have either lost
faith in it and you must resign or you have felt that you are being
accused and therefore you must also resign,” said Mr Amollo.
Elsewhere,
MPs Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati), Japheth Mutai (Bureti), Gideon Koskei
(Chepalungu), Ronald Tonui (Bomet Central), David Sangok (nominated) and
David Rono (Keiyo South) re-ignited the controversial call to have the
ODM leader retire from active politics.
They
said time had come for the old guard to hand over the country’s
leadership baton to the youth and only play an advisory role.
JITTERS
Mr
Ngunjiri, while speaking in Kericho yesterday, said Mr Odinga had
become a divisive factor in the country’s political landscape and should
retire from politics for the sake of unity and development.
Dr
Ruto, who is seen to have been sidelined in the Building Bridges drive,
has repeatedly and openly expressed his reservation with the
initiative, especially on the proposed referendum.
“It
is time for the former prime minister to pave way for youthful leaders
to take over the mantle of leadership in various spheres,” said Mr
Ngunjiri.
Mr Odinga has been engaged
in on-and-off spats with Dr Ruto over endemic corruption in the country
and political matters including the proposed constitution review.
The
close working relationship between Mr Odinga and President Kenyatta and
the ODM leader’s association with Baringo Senator and Kanu chairman
Gideon Moi has sent political jitters around the DP's camp.
VIA DAILY NATION
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