President-elect William Ruto has broken his silence following his disputed election and for the first time, sent a message to his boss-turned-foe, outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta.
While at attending a thanksgiving church service at Larmudiac High School in Njoro, Nakuru on Sunday, September 4, he called on Kenyans to pray for President Uhuru Kenyatta so that he oversees a peaceful and smooth power transition.
“I urge all of you to pray for our leader, President Uhuru Kenyatta because he is the one who will be in charge of the transition, that God helps him so that we have a peaceful transition to allow Kenya to move forward,” Ruto said.
President-elect William Ruto at the Nakuru prayer service
He further said that Kenyans have a pledge that every retiring President should be respected, and that is how President Uhuru will be respected even when he goes to retirement.
“May God help him so that he lives a better life, even when he retires he will have respect and he will hold his position as a former president in Kenya and he will join his predecessors as national leaders and people who have guided this country to where we are,” Ruto added.
Ruto’s coded prayer has been interpreted as a direct message to president Uhuru, urging him to oversee a peaceful and smooth transition of power.
This is the first time president-elect William Ruto made an almost-direct reference to President Uhuru Kenyatta since the August election. In the election, President Uhuru backed Raila Odinga of the Azimio La Umoja coalition.
Ruto was accompanied in Nakuru by among others, Rigathi Gachagua, Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika, county senator Tabitha Keroche Karanja, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, and ANC’s Musalia Mudavadi.
Ruto’s allies have expressed their frustration with President Uhuru over his silence after Ruto was declared the President-elect by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission – IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati. However, Ruto’s deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, has severally insisted that the swearing-in ceremony will take place with or without Uhuru.
The Uhuru and Ruto Fallout And Present Political Developments
President Uhuru and his Deputy William Ruto have had a frosty relationship in their second term, with the former opting to instead go for a handshake that saw Raila Odinga join the government at the expense of William Ruto who was shoved aside.
President Uhuru has over time accused his deputy of sabotaging his big four agenda and for being obsessed with succession politics. The duo have even engaged in a public spat with each one blaming the other for the high cost of living in the country.
During the thanksgiving prayer, Ruto did not shy away from commenting on the Supreme Court case. He said he has left the case to God and he will respect the verdict of the seven-judge-bench set for Monday, September 5.
The Lady Justice Martha Koome-led bench will either nullify the election and order fresh election in 60 days, order for recount or uphold Ruto’s win and pave way for his swearing-in.
