‘Mimi Sitaongea Mambo ya watu wengine!’ Raila Dismisses Ruto

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has refused to be drawn into the Supremacy wars between himself and Deputy President William Ruto, saying he will not talk about other people.

“Mimi sitaongea [kuhusu] mambo ya watu wengine (I will discuss matters to do with other people),” he said in Kiswahili, in reference to the DP’s utterances on Sunday.

On Sunday, Mr Ruto accused Mr Odinga of being insincere about the handshake and plotting division in Jubilee Party, the main goal allegedly being the DP’s removal.

The DP alleged that the plot is to see him leave the party “the way they did way back when I was in ODM”.

“I was in ODM …that is where they started summoning me like what they are doing to [Malindi Member of Parliament Aisha] Jumwa and [Msambweni MP Suleiman] Dori. They ensured that I left the party and even took me to court. That is what they want to bring in Jubilee but I want to tell them that will not happen,” he said.

The DP said he was fully aware of what the handshake was meant for as he was among those in the forefront of championing for unity.

He said President Kenyatta extended his hand after they brought the people together. “The handshake is not a licence for you to bring confusion, propaganda and conmnaship into our party. If they have come to divide Jubilee and the government, we are telling them that we are alert and we know (what you are up to),” he said.

Raila, however chose not to respond to Ruto’s accusations saying that the Big Four Agenda was not the key issue in his talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Mr Odinga explained on Monday that his handshake with the president, which he also said was not the secret many thought it was, was aimed at taking Kenya from the gutter. Mr Odinga noted that Kenya is plagued with rampant corruption, division, insecurity, poverty and joblessness.

“The fight against corruption is what is causing jitters among those who fear because they may be implicated,” the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader said during a National Super Alliance (Nasa) function in Mavoko, Machakos County.

He also addressed the controversial taxes matter, reiterating that the president had no option but to impose them as he had reached the end of the road.

He noted, however, the conditions that he set for supporting the levies, including a fully fledged fight against graft.

“If these aren’t addressed by next year (one year after the handshake), the deal will be off,” he said.

Raila said he did not want to comment on issues concerning Deputy President William Ruto, who earlier told him to leave the corruption war to independent institutions mandating with fighting it.

 

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