• Ruto said he will win the 2022 presidential election even if Oburu, the elder brother of ODM leader Raila Odinga, is appointed as the chairman of the IEBC.
• Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo said chest-thumping and name-calling will add no value to Ruto's presidential ambition
Image: FILE
East African Legislative Assembly member Oburu Oginga has told Deputy President William Ruto to deal with his frustrations and stop abusing his perceived rivals and imaginary enemies.
On Sunday, Ruto said he will win the 2022 presidential election even if Oburu, the elder brother of ODM leader Raila Odinga, is appointed as the chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. Ruto added that Raila has no clue about forming a government.
But Oburu reminded the DP that he is not his age-mate and told him to direct his taunts elsewhere.
"William Ruto must know that his age-mates are the likes of Oscar Sudi (Kapseret MP) and Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika. It's high time Tangatanga had limits on their campaigns," he wrote on Twitter.
"The IEBC you're talking about is the same that made you Deputy President. You've chosen a wrong path in your politics. Carry your grievances to the party leader. Kenya will exist with or without you being President," Oburu added.
Raila has not declared his interest in the 2022 race, but Ruto perceives him as his main challenger.
Weighing in on the issue, Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo described Ruto’s sentiment as childish and reckless. He termed it foolhardy for Ruto to resort to name-calling to express his frustrations.
The lawmaker said chest-thumping and name-calling will add no value to Ruto's presidential ambition. Speaking to the Star on the phone, Odhiambo said the DP must tame his tongue or they will show him how to do it.
“We will not stomach reckless statements from the likes of Ruto to joke around with names of those he is supposed to respect as his elders and seniors in politics,” Odhiambo said.
On Sunday, Ruto also criticised Jubilee and ODM leaders hiding behind the deep state, saying that as Deputy President he is aware of all systems of government.
“They should stop threatening that they have the deep state. The deep state is for fools. How can there be a deep state that the Deputy President is not aware of?” he said.
Ruto said affordable housing, one of the pillars of the Big Four agenda, could create jobs for about four million Kenyans, but it has been "replaced with the Building Bridges Initiative".
He said the BBI is meant for the 'big boys' and the debate on who will be prime minister and how seats will be shared has nothing to do with ordinary Kenyans.
But MP Odhiambo dismissed Ruto's take on the BBI, reminding him that he is in office courtesy of the 2010 Constitution, which he had equally opposed.
“The Deputy President doesn’t have the interest of this country at heart and that is why he is always opposing anything in favour of Kenyans,” he said.
Odhiambo said Ruto is opposing a document he has not seen and behaving as its author. “This time round, we want to teach the Deputy President the mother of all lessons for being reckless and disrespectful,” he added.
Edited by F'Orieny