Deputy President William Ruto has defended himself just hours after his boss, President Uhuru dared him to resign, accusing him of speaking from the both sides of his mouth.
And in what now appears to be the once vibrant bromance kicking its last, the second-in-command has seized the moment to revisit the gone, good old days when his friendship with the head of state was rosy and blooming.
He was speaking in Kiambaa where he participated in a funds drive to empower boda boda riders in the region,
The Deputy President alluding to an old adage “akufaaye kwa dhiki ndio rafiki” (a friend in need is a friend indeed)said he was the only person willing to be there when Uhuru needed a friend.
“When Uhuru needed a friend to stand with him, when no one else wanted to support him because of the ICC cases, or because his father was president, or because he came from Mt. Kenya, I was the one who did,” He added.
He appeared to criticize his boss whose blossoming political camaraderie ODM leader Raila Odinga has soured relations within the Jubilee party.
The DP said, although President Uhuru appears to be attracting a smattering of all kinds of friends, he was the only friend willing to stand with Head of State during the run to the 2013 poll.
According to Ruto, he is the best-placed person to succeed President Uhuru when he retires in 2022.
“Because Uhuru is retiring, who is the best person to finish the good work that we began? Is it Ruto or the Kitendawili person?” Ruto posed.
Earlier on Friday, the Head of State launched a scathing attack on his deputy, saying if he (Ruto) has problems with the government, then he is at liberty to resign.
Speaking on Friday, the President told off Dr. Ruto accusing him of doublespeak to divide Kenyans for selfish gains.
He said the Government’s focus is the unity and development of the country.
“Hakuna haja ya kuincite wakenya wenyewe kwa wenyewe. Unakuja unasema kwa mdomo moja serikali ni mbaya alafu kwa mdomo mwingine ati tumefanya kama serikali. Kwani serikali ni ngapi? Si ni moja? Kama unataka uzuri wake ukae nayo, kama unataja ubaya wake toka uwache wale wengine waendelee,” he said.
He continued: “Lakini huwezi kuja na mdomo moja unasema hii na mdomo mwingine unasema matusi ya wale ambao unasema unafanya na wao. Tuheshimiane jameni.”
The President was speaking to residents of Kabete in Kiambu County when he opened the Uthiru-Muthua Health Centre and Muthua Community Water Supply Project.
