DP William Ruto: I will not resign

Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto. [File, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto has said he won't resign despite receiving pressure from a section of Government and Opposition leaders.

"I was elected. I am not going to give those seeking to push me out of this government the opportunity to celebrate. I won't resign," Ruto said during an interview on Citizen Television on Thursday, April 15.

The DP further stated he was ready to go it alone in the 2022 presidential race, with or without the support of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Ruto, however, clarified he won't take offence if Kenyatta does not support him in the upcoming general election.

"It was the President who said 'yangu kumi, ya Ruto kumi'. He is an adult. He can change his mind. He is entitled to changing his mind. Nonetheless, he will remain to be my friend, even if he doesn't support my presidential bid, that is if I run in 2022," he said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta (R) and Deputy President William Ruto (L) during campaigns in the run-up to the 2017 general election. [File, Standard]

Since President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga entered into a peace pact on March 9, 2018, the relationship between Kenyatta and Ruto has been dented.

The duo's camraderie dipped after the DP snubbed a May 2020 Jubilee Parliamentary Group meeting convened by his boss. Ruto's allies were, in that meeting, kicked out of Parliamentary leadership posts.

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator, Kipchumba Murkomen, was ousted as Majority Leader, whereas his Nakuru counterpart, Susan Kihika, was removed as Majority Whip.

Murkomen was replaced by KANU's Samuel Poghisio, while Kihika's former role was taken over by Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang'ata, who has since been ejected, and replaced by Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi.

President Uhuru Kenyatta (left), ODM Leader Raila Odinga (centre) and Deputy President William Ruto at the Bomas of Kenya during the launch of the BBI report. [File, Standard}

In early 2021, Jubilee Party proposed the expulsion of six nominated senators from the Party. The six were pro-DP Ruto's Tanga Tanga wing.

In several State functions, a seat reserved for the DP remained unoccupied; a stark contrast from the good old days, when the president and his deputy would show up at public events together while displaying open 'bromance'.