No ceasefire in sight as Ruto-Raila war rages

From left)ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna,Likoni MP. Mishi Mboko,Rongo MP Paul Abuor,Mathare Mp Anthony Oluoch,Kasipul MP Charles Ong'ondo Were and Caleb Amisi Mp Saboti(Right),during the fundraising for women table banking and small business at ST.Teresa secondary school Mlaongo Kubwa in Nairobi on 16th March 2019.[Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

There is no end in sight for the war of words between opposition leader Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto, with the two former allies and their supporters digging in as the 2022 succession politics picks up steam.

The fight could have been escalated by Siaya Senator James Orengo on Wednesday when he said there was a possible pact between Raila and President Uhuru Kenyatta for the 2022 succession.

 Yesterday, Dr Ruto in an apparent reference to his political nemesis, said the “political con” roaming around Kenya was well known, so were his under-the table games.

“There are serial liars whom Kenyans cannot believe in. Our plans on development

will not be undermined by leaders who want to demean the Jubilee track record,” Ruto said.

“Kenyans would not stomach the fake promises of politicians “who broke KANU, CORD, NASA, and now are after finishing Jubilee”. But it is his political ally and Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen that put right his Ruto team’s political perspective.

 “We will work tirelessly to show Kenyans who the real enemy of unity is,” Murkomen said. But nine ODM MPs and one from ANC distanced Raila from the accusations that he was rocking Jubilee Party from the inside.

The legislators, led by Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi, condemned politicisation of war on corruption and the attack on Raila. The MPs Antony Oluoch (Mathare), Caleb Hamisi (Saboti), Lilian Gogo (Rangwe), Mishi Mboko (Likoni), George Aladwa (Makadara), Paul Abuor (Rangwe), Sam Atandi (Alego Usonga), Martin Owino (Ndhiwa) and Ong’ondo Were (Kasipul) termed the recent attacks on Raila uncalled for, immature and utterly insensitive.

The lawmakers said the much publicised handshake between President Kenyatta and Raila had cooled down tension and united the country. They said the former premier’s decision to work with President Kenyatta was meant to create peace and cohesion in the country and not destabilize Jubilee Party.

Atandi said some Jubilee leaders are only trying to come up with diversionary tactics to derail the fight against graft.

“We know the Tanga Tanga team are trying to scuttle the war on corruption by developing

diversionary tactics like mentioning Raila’s name every time,” he said.

He assured the investigating agencies such as the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) of their full support in the

fight against graft. “We want to assure the DDP and DCI of our full support in this fight,” said Atandi.

Sentiments that were shared by Otsotsi: “The DP and the team want to stop the war on corruption by intimidating the DCI and DPP. They now want to threaten President

Kenyatta and Raila, something that we will not allow.”

Mboko cautioned a section of Kalenjin leaders from “tribalising” the graft war.

She said while people from other communities have been charged and some recorded statements with investigative authorities, some leaders continued to push a narrative that the Kalenjin community was being targeted unfairly.

Elsewhere, Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi and Siaya Senator James Orengo told Ruto to watch his steps and control his tongue, accusing him of showing disrespect to President Uhuru Kenyatta in his utterances.

Orengo told Ruto that attacking Raila in public was like attacking President Kenyatta himself, since the two leaders were working to unite Kenyans.

“Ruto should keep off Raila. His careless attacks on Raila are an insult. It shows total disrespect both to Raila and the President,” said Orengo.

“Ruto should not talk about Jubilee because he is not the party leader. The party leader is President Kenyatta.”