• In a rejoinder Sifuna said DP Ruto is a joke in the eyes of right thinking Kenyans.
• The ODM SG said Ruto is in every graft scandal in the country.
Image: FILE
A fresh political war has erupted between Deputy President William Ruto and Opposition chief Raila Odinga with both sides delivering blistering punches.
Soon after Ruto referred to Raila as the “lord of poverty” on Monday, ODM went on the offensive, saying the DP “has become a joke in the eyes of right thinking Kenyans.”
Party secretary general Edwin Sifuna said Ruto was struggling to bury the news of his fake assassination and its failure to generate the sympathy he intended to attract.
Sifuna claimed there is hardly any corruption scandal in the country in which the name of the DP doesn't get mentioned and challenged him to stop what he termed as “preaching Raila Odinga” and work for Kenyans.
“We are not surprised that Ruto has gone on a tangent again, ranting and cursing with the characteristic anger and bitterness at Raila Odinga, the man he believes owes him the presidency,” Sifuna said.
He went on, “Delivery of fake fertiliser that ruined millions of livelihoods can be traced to his allies and himself. Destroying agriculture is the highest bid a rotten wheeler-dealer, that he is, can make in a permanent move to leave many not only poor and desperate but hopeless."
Ruto, while speaking in Nyamira, said Raila wants Kenyans to remain poor so they can depend on him.
He named the Eurobond, the Northern Collector Tunnel, the SGR, fundraising in churches and for women groups as some of the things Raila is opposed to because he is against empowerment.
He termed Raila as the lord of poverty since he is opposed to any development projects.
Raila had on Sunday criticised Ruto saying politicians who give donations to churches every Sunday should come clean on the source of their money.
Yesterday, ODM said Ruto cannot make harambees the basis for development.
“His role is to help the President create an enabling environment for businesses and job creation so that he doesn't have to carry money in sacks to go and buy loyalty in the villages in the name of harambees,” Sifuna said.
He added, “There is no greater lord of poverty than the one who makes you permanently dependent on handouts and cash for favours. We are shocked that Ruto wants us to believe that he is a God-fearing man doing charity work yet to date, Kiambaa Church lies in ruins in his neighborhood.”
The DP has constantly been defending his donations to churches and has promised not to stop.
Ruto has since said he will challenge any law aimed at curbing church donations as suggested by some politicians.
He said leaders propagating for a change of the law were non-religious people and maintained that he will not allow it to happen.
Sifuna, in a statement to newsrooms, claimed Ruto has been on the necks of Cabinet secretaries perceived to be loyal to the President and wants them out.
“We are wondering, which was his bigger desire. Between seeking sympathy with non-existent assassination plot and attempting to get CSs out,” he said.
He said it was regretful the Deputy President has maintained that no money has been lost in SGR, NYS and Eurobond among other projects.
“To Ruto, money stolen from SGR, NYS, the dams among others amounted to development. We wish to remind him that in SGR, NYS and others, the corruption therein was flagged by institutions and individuals far from the person of Raila Odinga,” Sifuna said.