• Deputy president William Ruto has asked spiritual leaders to pray for his political allies.
• Ruto on Saturday said it is unfortunate that those who support him have been subjected to unnecessary humiliation and frustration.
Deputy president William Ruto has asked spiritual leaders to pray for his political allies.
Ruto on Saturday said it is unfortunate that those who support him have been subjected to unnecessary humiliation and frustration.
Ruto was speaking during a prayer meeting with association of Bishops from Rift Valley led by Bishop Eliud Karanja of WorldWide Church, Sugoi, Uasin Gishu County.
“Ile migawanyiko ilikuwa ya kikabila sasa imekuwa ya kisiasa. Saa hizi kuna wengi wanafurushwa kutoka nafasi zao, wengine wahangaishwa kwa njia moja au nyingine eti kwa sababu hao ni marafiki wa naibu wa rais. Hawa watu wote nataka muwaombee wawe na uvumilivu na wajue ya kwamba licha ya hayo yote bado tunaweza ishi pamoja kama ndungu na dada,” he said.
This loosely translates to, “The ethnic divisions we used to witness have now turned into political divisions. Right now there are politicians who have been humiliated and frustrated, others have been dewhipped from their positions just because they are friends to the deputy president. I want you to pray for them so that they can have patience. Let them know that despite the turbulence we need to stay as brothers and sisters because our patience will help us do campaigns that have no divisions”.
Ruto said to make it worse, some other politicians are being threatened with courts, others being told they will be taken to KRA or EACC, others threatened that they will lose their political positions not because they are guilty of any offence but just supporting him.
“Jameni si mimi hata ni mkenya na nina hitaji marafiki,” he said.
Ruto challenged the bishops to pray for the devil that is dividing the country along political lines so that God may help the entire country to stay put together.
Ruto’s sentiments come amid widening rift between him and President Uhuru Kenyatta who is Jubilee Party leader.
His close allies like Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Nakuru’s Susan Kihika were dewhipped from their luxurious positions in the Senate.
The purge was also escalated to the National Assembly where several MPs were relieved from various house committees.
Ruto's big fight for the soul and heart of Jubilee has exposed his long-standing battles to control strategic political parties.
From the Independence party Kanu, ODM, United Democratic Movement (UDM), United Republican Party (URP) and now Jubilee, the DP's political career is laden with battles to control parties.
While the DP has lost at least two such battles in the last 10 years, his current situation — in which he appears to have been cornered by his rivals — puts him in a much more complex political fix with limited options.
As the 2022 presidential race gathers pace, the DP is walking a political tightrope that could completely deflate his State House chances should his enemies manage to push him out of Jubilee.
The DP's current political predicament has rekindled memories of his past in which he was successfully kicked out of ODM, and UDM 10 years ago.