Minority Whip Junet Mohammed has hit back at DP William Ruto over his claims that Raila Odinga is using the handshake to destabilise Jubilee and chase him out of the party.
He said Ruto is angry and wants to leave Jubilee then blame his departure on someone else.
The Suna East MP spoke at Wilson Airport on Monday before leaving for the Migori Senate by-election that will be held on October 8.
He was accompanied by Mombasa governor Hassan Joho.
Junet said the DP has a history of ditching parties and should not try to pin his imminent exit on Raila or ODM.
“We are not chasing him from anywhere. He is running away from his shadow,” he said.
Junet said Ruto voluntarily left URP, UDM, KANU and ODM.
Speaking in Mombasa on Sunday, Ruto claimed Raila and ODM are using the handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta to scuttle Jubilee's succession plans.
He claimed Raila chased him away from ODM and has now followed him to Jubilee to do the same.
“What we won't entertain, and what is not going to happen is for you to export confusion, propaganda and conmanship into our government or our party,” Ruto said.
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Junet said Ruto is using Raila as a scapegoat.
“Let him not start blame games when he has decided it’s time for him to leave because it is normal for him to leave parties,” Junet said.
“So for him to leave Jubilee is not a big deal for us,” Junet said.
He told the DP to leave Raila’s name out of his political rallies because he is not in the same league with him.
Junet also told Ruto to desist from criticising the March 9 handshake since he was not a party to it. He said it is high time Ruto knew the handshake is not about individuals but about the unity and peace of the whole country.
“Any other person is just an accompaniment to that deal just like the way we are. So let him not call Raila any other name like a conman, mganga, kitendawili….Raila is not his equal,” Junet said.
The MP accused Ruto of being behind the chaos that rocked Parliament on September 20 during debate on the Finance Bill, 2018.
"We are not going to allow him to intimidate anyone,” he said.
Joho said Ruto’s intention is to destroy the
peace the country is enjoying after the handshake by using divisive politics.
He said the DP should learn to respect other leaders if he expects to be respected.
Joho said Ruto is moving around the country to consolidate support in readiness to oppose the impending constitutional referendum.
“He thinks that will not happen. Do we need permission from anyone to address issues that affect our people?” Joho asked
“We are well organised and the machinery that will be unleashed against him will surprise him,” he said.
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