Deputy President William Ruto has responded to a jibe by opposition leader Raila Odinga.
On Sunday, Raila told a charged crowd of NASA supporters at Mama Ngina Drive, Mombasa that Ruto is a “greedy” leader with a craving for high positions in government.
Raila said he was not interested at all in forming a coalition government (nusu mkate) in 2008.
But, he noted, it was Ruto who proposed the idea during mediation talks led by Koffi Anan.
“Ruto is so forgetful. He, alongside [Musalia] Mudavadi, [Sam] Ongeri, [Martha] Karua, [Moses] Wetang’ula and Mutula Kilonzo, were the ones who sat in the talks. Raila Odinga was not present. How it turns that I wanted a coalition government is surprising,” said Raila as the Star quotes.
But in a fiery rejoinder, the DP admitted having championed the “nusu mkate” agenda during the mediation talks but accused Raila of scuttling it by being petty.
Ruto said: “Ni kweli mimi nilusaidia ukapata coalition government ya 2007. Lakini tabia yako mbaya ilituangaisha. Badala ya kufanya kazi ukaanza kuhangaisha mzee Kibaki hadi akashindwa kutekeleza majukumu yake.”
This loosely translates to, “It is true I helped you in forming the coalition government but your bad behavior frustrated us. Instead of helping Mzee Kibaki deliver his agenda you frustrated him with petty demands.”
Ruto said it was wrong for Raila to brand other presidential candidates as “Jubilee stooges”.
He said Raila was running all over Europe seeking sympathy from foreigners on Kenyan matters.
“It is better to be a Jubilee stooge than a stooge to foreigners. This man instead of campaigning he has put a lot of demands compounded with demos until he is confused himself.”
“You can travel to any place you so wish, be it UK or Paris, but a coalition government will not happen,” opined the DP.