Mudavadi-led party launches fresh bid to impeach DP Ruto

Amani National Congress (ANC) deputy party leader Ayub Savula (centre) addresses journalists at the party's headquarters in Nairobi yesterday. With him are Vihiga Woman Representative Beatrice Adagala (left), Teso North MP Okuu Kaunya (right) and other party leaders. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Amani National Congress (ANC) party yesterday launched a fresh onslaught for the impeachment of Deputy President William Ruto, accusing him of undermining the Head of State. 

Ruto’s decision to take President Uhuru Kenyatta head-on over his suggestion for a rotational presidency has triggered a fresh round of calls for his impeachment.

ANC yesterday started the campaign to have Ruto dethroned for undermining Uhuru’s agenda, including his legacy project, the Building Bridges Initiative.

In a statement read by ANC deputy party leader Ayub Savula, the Musalia Mudavadi-led party demanded that Ruto resigns from government or be impeached.

President’s remarks

Uhuru’s remarks last Saturday that communities outside Kikuyu and Kalenjin should take over when he retires irked the DP’s allies. Ruto himself told off the President on the matter.

The impeachment push speaks of a wider scheme to tame the DP, the interim deputy leader of Jubilee, whose party is scheduled to issue a statement today on the current political quagmire occasioned by the political clash pitting Uhuru and Ruto.

“We are currently consulting on the political happenings and will issue a statement tomorrow (today) on the forthcoming by-elections and party politics,” said Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju.

Ruto, on Sunday, directly accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of introducing tribal politics. He vowed to continue with the Hustler narrative that had rattled Uhuru and his handshake partner Raila Odinga.

“We cannot degenerate (to this level) because when I supported Uhuru, it was not because of his tribe but his agenda. I supported him knowing very well that Kibaki was Kikuyu. It was deliberate so that we end this politics of tribe and hatred,” said the DP.

Uhuru had, during the funeral of Mudavadi’s mother Hannah Mudavadi in Mululu, Vihiga, dismissed the Hustler narrative, arguing that the debate could be flipped to block the communities that had produced presidents since independence.

“We (ANC) have taken the lead in preparing a Motion of impeachment to protect Kenya against violent implosion being clandestine fermented by Ruto, a rich and powerful man in government pretending to be poor,” said Mr Savula as he read the statement.

In the impeachment Motion, Savula said, they will make a case that the DP’s ambition is in competition with priorities set by the Jubilee administration he (Ruto) serves.

“He is a danger to the stability of the nation by covertly dissenting and sabotaging the President’s government agenda,” said Savula in a press conference at the party’s headquarters.

In a swift rejoinder, Ruto allies dismissed the plot as wishful thinking and urged ANC to stop getting excited over a funeral endorsement.

Soy MP Caleb Kositany, a Ruto ally, described ANC as political scavengers waiting to benefit from tribal politics.

“The party starts and ends in Vihiga and has all the officials from the same region, is excited with the tribal debate kicked by President Kenyatta, such statements can easily cause anarchy,” said Mr Kositany.

He noted that had the government been serious, it would have arrested Savula for fermenting tribal hatred, but since it was led by jokers, nothing would be done to him. Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah said ANC was overly excited by what they perceived to be “funeral endorsements” and the unfortunate ethnic vitriol at a burial in Vihiga.

“We ask them to bring on the Impeachment Motion they are talking about. William Ruto’s position in government was not a donation by two over-excited ANC MPs, he is in the position of DP on account of the same voters that put Uhuru Kenyatta in office. He owes his position to the people, not the excited juvenile leaders,” said Ichung’wah.

“You mean my friend Musalia Mudavadi took the rotational presidency joke seriously,” posed Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen.

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa dared ANC to bring the impeachment on, saying it would be defeated on the floor of the House.

“If ANC party was unable to interpret their own constitution to discipline their own MPs for gross violation of their constitution, how can they interpret the Constitution to impeach the DP,” posed Barasa.

In March 2019, Siaya Senator James Orengo said it was time to impeach Ruto for reportedly “disrespecting Uhuru and being involved in corruption”.

Mr Orengo said a deputy president could be kicked out of office if it was found that he or she had violated the Constitution or any other law.

“I want to repeat here and now that the Senate together with the National Assembly, we want to bring a Motion of impeachment to kick out DP Ruto from office,” Orengo said while addressing residents during campaigns for a by-election in Ugenya.

However, Orengo never followed up the impeachment bid.

Savula argued that Uhuru’s statement was clearly an endorsement for Mudavadi to succeed him.

ANC said Ruto had called Uhuru a tribalist, an offence that was unforgivable. They called to the DP to resign or be impeached.

ANC told a press conference at the party headquarters in Lavington that the DP was covertly dissenting and sabotaging the President.

Sabotaging government

“It is unacceptable for Ruto to sabotage the very government he is a part of from within, undermining public confidence in government, creating public disaffection and inciting rebellion while at the top echelons of government,” said Savula.

Savula also claimed Ruto’s alliance with Uhuru in 2013 was merely meant to benefit from the support Uhuru commanded.

“Ruto’s continued stay in Jubilee and as the Deputy President is no longer tenable. It is a mockery of the dictates of the Political Parties Act and an abrogation of the Constitution that he swore to defend,” said Opiyo Wandayi, the ODM secretary for political affairs.

He said the disharmony at the apex of Jubilee, which is the governing party, was inimical to the greater good of the country.

“So, the break-up in the Jubilee marriage should be quickly formalised to ensure national stability,” said Mr Wandayi.