I didn't strike deal with Uhuru to support my bid – Ruto

 

Deputy President William Ruto now says he never struck a deal with President Uhuru Kenyatta for him to support his 2022 presidential bid.

Ruto said it’s the President who made a commitment to himself and to Kenyans that he would support him at the end of his second term.

“To be fair to President Uhuru Kenyatta, we didn’t have a deal. I decided to support Uhuru Kenyatta on the basis of my belief that he deserved an opportunity,” Ruto said.

He spoke during an interview with the BBC.

The DP said the question of whether or not the President supports his presidential candidature is inconsequential since he has his own solid plan on how to go about it.

“I have an agenda and I believe I have the capacity to deliver on this plan,” Ruto said.

On September 20, 2013, Uhuru gave the clearest indication that he would hand over to Ruto after serving his Constitutionally allowable two terms.

In a hard-hitting statement directed at his then political nemesis Raila Odinga, Uhuru said those eyeing the presidency after his reign should hold their horses as Ruto would take over after him for another ten years.

“They will wait another 20 years because there are another ten years for Ruto,” Uhuru said during a rally in Eldoret.

“We have told others to go on retirement, we have set aside a lot of money for retirees and their share will also be there,” he added.

The dynamics, however, changed following the March 9, 2018 handshake between Uhuru and Raila after the disputed 2017 general election.

Uhuru said he decided to work with Raila for the sake of peace, a decision that did not sit well with Ruto leading to a fallout between the two former political soulmates.

Uhuru has since thrown his weight behind Raila who's seeking the presidency on the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party ticket. 

Regardless, Ruto said he is fit to be Uhuru's successor due to the strength of his contribution to the Jubilee administration's successes.

He is eyeing the presidency on a United Democratic Alliance party ticket.

“When I have had an opportunity to make a contribution, the contribution has been loud and it is clear. The people of Kenya can see my fingerprints on the success of this government,” Ruto said.

He said they lost the plot of Jubilee’s development vision after the handshake but he will take the opportunity as the next president and railroad the country back on track.

“We will create jobs opportunities, we will sort out the cost of living and sort out the debt issue.”

On corruption, the DP said he has a solid plan to deal firmly, decisively and conclusively with the vice.

Part of the plan, he said, is to give financial independence to the Judiciary and the Criminal Investigation Department (DCI).

“There is absolutely no reason as to why the Judiciary continues to beg for money from the Executive. We will operationalise the Judiciary fund which is a constitutional instrument to facilitate the judiciary to hire all the men they need,” Ruto said.

“Today corruption cases take up to ten years. We want corruption cases concluded in months,” Ruto said.    BY THE STAR