Ex-senator: ‘Yangu Kumi, Ruto Kumi' was a slip of the tongue

Former nominated Senator Paul Njoroge [Standard]

Former nominated Senator Paul Njoroge has unleashed a bare-knuckle, ‘below-the-belt’ attack on Deputy President William Ruto over his 2022 presidential bid and opposition to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.

The senator has, in no uncertain terms, asked DP Ruto not to bank on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s support come 2022, terming Kenyatta’s earlier promise to back the DP a serious slip of the tongue.

 The senator, who maintains that Ruto lacks the melons to lead the country, said the earlier talk of President Uhuru serving 10 years and handing the mantle to Ruto had been overtaken by events.

“Hakuna deni ya Uhuru kumi na Ruto kumi, (There is nothing like 10 years for Uhuru and 10 years for Ruto… that was a slip of the tongue from the president, and it is allowed," he said.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Njoroge asked President Uhuru and ODM leader Raila Odinga to apologise to Kenyans for allowing DP Ruto to begin early campaigns for 2022.

“Uhuru and Raila must apologise to Kenyans for not raising the red flag or any concern as Kenyans continued to lose money,” he said.

According to Njoroge, Ruto has been linked to corruption since 2016, and that he is unfit to run for the big seat.

The controversial senator also claimed that Ruto is hell-bent on derailing BBI, an initiative he is determined to achieve with the help of a few leaders.

Njoroge cautioned Ruto against lying to himself that he has a massive following in Central region.

 “I have warned Ruto to stop lying to himself that he will get votes from the Kikuyu community and against presidential campaigns,” he said.

He challenged Raila and Uhuru to declare interest in the Presidency and the yet-to-be created powerful PM post to avoid all the debate on the said seats

“Raila is the most suitable candidate for president in this country while Uhuru Kenyatta is also the most suitable executive Prime Minister to finish the projects that he did not do when he was constrained by his deputy,” said Njoroge.

He said the DP managed to blackmail President Uhuru into silence before the 2017 polls with some rumour that Uhuru’s win was only guaranteed if he had Ruto’s backing.

DP Ruto used blackmail against President Uhuru into silence instead of taking action against massive theft by Ruto and his associates

“Uhuru’s fear of losing election in 2017 saw him give Ruto a bank cheque to steal public resources, this must stop now,” he said.

He claimed Ruto was the architecture of most scandals in the country and urged the President to institute investigations against his deputy.

In 2017, Njoroge caused a stir at a petrol station at Karai on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway after firing in the air to prevent its closure.

The mayhem started when Vivo Energy hired staff started demolishing a part of the petrol station.

Trouble started in the afternoon after the workers moved in and demolished part of the petrol station entrance before embarking on carting away the fuel pumps.

It was then that the senator arrived and stopped the exercise after obtaining a court order from the Naivasha law courts.

The order from Naivasha Principal Magistrate Esther Kimilu restrained the fuel company from interfering or taking over or terminating the contract until the case is heard and determined.

And as the senator engaged the workers in a heated argument, some tried to continue with the demolition forcing him to fire in the air.