(KDRTV) – All politicians claiming that DP William Ruto is disrespecting President Uhuru Kenyatta have never voted for Uhuru, Ruto has claimed.
Speaking during an interview on NTV, Ruto said that he is the only politician who sacrificed his ambition for Uhuru to be President in 2013 because no one else could. He said that Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who was then the Vice President refused to support Uhuru’s Presidential bid.
“I have heard the narrative that I am fighting the President but many people who are running the narrative are people in NASA. They have never voted for Uhuru Kenyatta but are now inciting him against me,” he said.
“If there is anyone who has shown loyalty to President Uhuru Kenyatta, it is me,” Ruto added.
The DP further revealed that his relationship with Uhuru did not start yesterday. He said he met Uhuru in 1998 and he (Ruto) played a crucial role in getting the son of the founding President Jomo Kenyatta to be nominated to Parliament in 2001. Uhuru had unsuccessfully vied for Gatundu South MP in 1998.
President Daniel Arap Moi send Ruto to former Kanu nominated MP Mark Too, to convince him to resign from Parliament and give Uhuru a chance.
“I knew President Kenyatta in 1998-1999. For your information, even the first time for Uhuru to come to parliament as a nominated member, the former President Moi sent me to Mark Too to ask him to resign so that Uhuru Kenyatta could be nominated to become MP, and Uhuru Kenyatta knows this.
“I had a rough time persuading Mark Too to resign and he gave me a list of conditions and I explained them to the former President and to Uhuru,” he said.
In 2001, Too resigned after giving Ruto a list of demands that he wanted to be met. Uhuru was nominated to parliament and appointed the Minister for Local Government by President Moi. Too passed away in 2016. President Uhuru and Ruto were among the mourners at Uasin Gishu.
In 2002, Uhuru vied for President on a KANU ticket. Ruto was at his side all the way. Mwai Kibaki of NARC swept KANU away.
"Uhuru is married to Margaret, I am married to Rachel."
DP #RutoSpeaks about his 'relationship' with President Uhuru Kenyatta. pic.twitter.com/CijqBMF23W
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) January 23, 2020
Ruto said that he was the only politician who remained at Uhuru’s side when he conceded defeat at the Serena Hotel on December 30,2002.
“More than 50 MPs were at Statehouse when we started the journey to Serena, but only three remained by the time we reached Serena,” Ruto said.
