Ruto: I’m shocked I’m now being branded ‘useless’

Deputy President William Ruto says he has been taken aback by politicians allied to Jubilee Party who are now branding him “useless” yet he “played an important role in hoisting the ruling party to power”.

Speaking in Kisii Town on Thursday, September 10, the deputy president said he won’t be stopped by anyone from taking a stab at the presidency in 2022 general election.

“Si muliniona nikitafuta kura ya Jubilee? Naambiwa ati mimi saa hii sifai! Ah, watu wawache mchezo nanii, watu wawache mchezo. (In the run-up to 2013 and 2017 general elections, didn’t you see me here seeking your votes in the presidential race? I am now being told that I am no longer useful [to the party]. People should stop joking, they should put an end to all these drama),” said Ruto during a stop-over in Kisii Town Thursday afternoon.

The deputy president said he is the best suited candidate for the 2022 presidential contest because he “understands the problems Kenyans are going through, given he comes from a humble background”.

“You hear the other person (Raila Odinga) asking why the deputy president is mingling with boda boda operators and mama mbogas. He was born in a kingly family, his father was a vice president in this country. He does not understand why people in the informal sectors are very close to my heart. I was born in a lowly family, I grew up in humble settings. I empathise with the lowly,” said Ruto.

“I am focused on elevating the poor and vulnerable to positions they can comfortably fend for themselves. Today, we have 17 million people living below a dollar a day in Kenya. We have six million unemployed youth. They need help, and I am ready to help elevate their statuses.”

In his roadside address, the DP lashed out at top Government officials for "attempting to sabotage his planned tours". He made the remarks following protests in Kisii Town Thursday morning, which saw a section of boda boda operators vowing to disrupt the DP’s planned tour of Kisii.

“Kuna watu wanasumbua askari, wanawaambia: ‘kwendeni msimamishe mkutano ile, kwendeni mvuruge mkutano ile’. Hiyo ni upumbavu. Askari waheshimiwe, askari wafanye kazi ya askari, machief na provincial administration wafanye kazi yao (There are people who are misusing the police force. You’d hear them instructing our officers: ‘go stop that gathering, go disrupt that meeting’. That is stupidity. Let them [unnamed top State officials] respect our policemen and women. Let the cops do work related to their job descriptions and the chiefs and provincial administrators also dispense the duties they were hired to do),” said Ruto.

“Wanasiasa wanaotaka kushindana, waachane na polisi, waachane na provincial administration, wakuje kiwanja, wapatane na mimi. (The politicians who want to engage in supremacy battles should leave the police officers and provincial administrators alone. Let them come and face me in the ballot).”

Ruto is set to fundraise for a boda boda Sacco at Nyanchwa Grounds in Kisii Town Thursday afternoon before addressing a rally in the populous region.

(Additional reporting by Monica Zabibu in Kisii County)