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Kenya: Ruto Takes on Kenyatta Power Men

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5 years ago

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Deputy President William Ruto is on the warpath, with senior civil servants in President Kenyatta’s Cabinet in his crosshairs.

Just days after attacking an administration he’s part of for bullying and intimidating senators over the shareable-revenue impasse, the DP Thursday claimed that senior civil servants were using the police to “run political errands”.

Appearing helpless and frustrated, the DP distanced himself from the “theft of Covid-19 billions”, and challenged public officials to stand up to bullies in government.

Youth and women

Alienated from the centre of power, the second in command told public servants against not to use their positions to advance selfish ends but be professional.

“No one should blackmail or intimidate them to run political errands,” DP Ruto said at his Karen residence when he met youth and women groups from Nairobi County.

Political rivals

They included close allies led by MPs Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu), James Gakuya (Embakasi North), George Theuri (Embakasi West) and Nixon Korir (Lang’ata).

The DP urged his political rivals to confront their battles without involving apolitical figures.

“Politicians must learn to do their thing and run their errands without involving our public servants or police officers as they have nothing to do with politics,” he said.

In a rare occurrence on Tuesday, ODM leader Raila Odinga and the DP condemned the dramatic arrests of senators Cleophas Malala (Kakamega), Christopher Lang’at (Bomet )and Steve Lelegwe (Samburu), in a seemingly coordinated attempt to stymie the vote on a contentious revenue-sharing formula in the Senate.

“When we elect a government, it is not because of the leaders. It is because of the people. Government does not serve the interest of leaders. It serves the aspirations of its people, the millions of Kenyans. That is the government we believe in and that is the government we elected,” the DP said.

While he had criticised the senators’ gangland-style arrest, the DP reiterated the need for police to act professionally: “We don’t believe the might of the police should be used against citizens or leaders. It should be used to protect and serve citizens.”

Thursday’s was just one of the groups the DP has been hosting in a bid to marshal support for his 2022 stab at the presidency. He also met religious leaders from Kiambu, led by Mr Ichung’wah.