The Building Bridges Initiative has been converted into a plot to wreck the Jubilee Party, Deputy President William Ruto has claimed.
He claimed Opposition chief Raila Odinga was using the handshake to undermine him.
This came a day after National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed accused the DP of orchestrating last week's rebellion in the House against tax proposals by President Kenyatta.
During the vote on the Finance Bill 2018, which contained proposals on increased taxes, most legislators allied to Ruto rebelled against the President's memorandum proposing an eight per cent tax on petroleum products. Raila supported the memorandum against the wishes of many in ODM.
On Saturday Mr Mohamed suggested that Ruto was orchestrating rebellion within Jubilee to undermine the Building Bridges Initiative and the President.
Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori fired back, saying: “This is propaganda. Those who did not vote for the (Finance) Bill chose to stand with the people and not the DP."
Ruto's allies have been openly critical of the March 9 handshake, believing that it weakens the DP's presidential bid in 2022. Besides making peace with Raila, Uhuru has also reconciled with Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.
Yesterday, Ruto - who has visited the Coast 10 times since the March handshake and rallied many ODM legislators to his side - said Raila was trying to ensconce himself in the Government system to undermine him.
The DP claimed Raila and his allies were using ‘conmanship, gossip, witch-hunt and propaganda’ to antagonise the Jubilee leadership and destabilise the ruling party. He added that the “elaborate” scheme to break up Jubilee would not happen because its leaders were alert and were prepared to safeguard its interests.
Ruto claimed Raila and his team had taken advantage of the handshake to try to destroy the ruling party by “importing chaos” and trying to edge him out of Jubilee.
Speaking at Majaoni settlement scheme in Kisauni, Mombasa County, where he issued 3,000 title deeds yesterday, the DP said: “I want to state categorically that we have no space for propaganda, gossip, confusion and conmanship in our party and Government.”
He said the handshake was meant to foster unity among Kenyans.
“They are trying to import chaos into Jubilee and eventually break it up. We are not going to allow this scheme. It will remain a day dream,” he added.
The deputy president claimed those who have hatched the plot to destroy Jubilee were determined to push him out of the ruling party the way they threw him out of ODM.
In an apparent reference to Raila, he said the "same people destroyed Kanu, Cord and National Super Alliance".
Ruto, who is on a week-long Coast tour, was accompanied by Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya and 20 MPs mainly from the opposition NASA.
Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa explained why she was working with Ruto. “Dori and I are being harassed by our party. We are working with Jubilee so our people can get title deeds. If this amounts to a sin, then it be. I am ready to be voted out,” Ms Jumwa said.
