The pro-Ruto fraternity in Kitui on Saturday told Governor Charity to stop criticising Deputy President William Ruto, calling her a political lightweight.
In a press statement, UDA adherents asked Ngilu to accord Ruto respect and stop abusing him as she herself was politically insignificant and the EACC is probing her administration.
The statement was issued by James Wambua, coordinator of the Friends of Ruto Movement (FoRM) in Kitui county.
On Friday, Ngilu called Ruto a "political pirate" who brought cartels into government. She said she hates him so much that she changes the channel when he appears on television.
The UDA statement told Ngilu to stop her obsession with "bad-mouthing" Ruto as she was not in his league.
“You are not in a contest with H.E. William Samoei Ruto, he is way above your league," Wambua said. He is also UDA's National Secretary for strategy and mobilisation.
“As followers, voters and Friends of Ruto Movement (FoRM) in Kitui county, we strongly condemn reckless utterances by Hon Charity Ngilu against the person of the Deputy President,” Wambua said.
Ruto's brigade was reacting to Ngilu's recent comment that Ruto was a pirate. She spoke at the Azimio la Umoja meeting addressed by former Prime Minister and ODM leader Raila Odinga at Wote in Makueni county on Friday.
Ngilu said although the 2022 presidential race was a two-horse contest between Raila and Ruto, the DP was a "political pirate into whose hands Kenya's leadership should not be bestowed".
“As we wait for H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta to retire, we must have a person in whom we have confidence to lead. This is not a country that can be played with. It is said to be a two-horse race but one of them is a pirate. We do not want piracy,” Ngilu said.
She said she loathed Ruto so much that whenever watching Citizen TV Ness and ruto was on the screen, she changes the channel.
She said although in 2013 she was in the same camp with Uhuru and they had promised laptops to schools, Ruto frustrated the project.
“Instead of laptops, he has resorted to wheelbarrows. Does it mean that he does not know the difference between laptops and wheelbarrows?” she asked.
Nglu said in 2013 when Uhuru and Ruto equally shared the government, Ruto gave slots to corrupt cartels who plundered public resources, leading to collapse of key institutions.
The UDA statement said Nglu lacked moral authority to lecture anyone on good governance before she explains the collapse of the multimillion Umaa dam Kitui suburbs that was halted during her term as minister for Water
The UDA troops also asked Ngilu to explain why Kitui county treasury documents were razed in an arson case as well as why Kitui health facilities did not have drugs.
Ngilu was told account for the money generated by the Kitui County Textile Centre (Kicotec) and why a number of cases involving her administration are being investigated by the EACC.
They said Ngilu was backing Raila's presidency to get protection for her misdeeds, but that would only last nine months until the 2022 polls. Then she will be on her own, they said.
(Edited by V. Graham)
