President William Ruto has revealed that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua once threatened to limit his presidency to a single term during their leadership standoff.
Speaking during a media interview with all vernacular stations from Mt Kenya at Sagana State Lodge on Monday, Ruto claimed that the former second-in-command demanded a Ksh 10 billion payout when trouble started brewing in their 'paradise.'
Ruto, who has, in the wake of the onslaught of criticisms by his former lieutenant, often appeared to avoid responding to the former Mathira MP, went bare-knuckles when he revealed that Gachagua demanded the money to calm the changing political narrative in Mt Kenya.
According to the Head of State, however, he did not heed the demands of the former DP and told him to go ahead with his plans.
''Gachagua told me that I would be a one-term President if I did not meet certain conditions. He asked for Ksh 10 billion to talk to the Mt Kenya region,'' Ruto claimed.
"I told him I would not do it. I told him if it's one term, it's okay if you're the one to decide. So the MPs started a war."
Ruto revealed that the demands for money were among some of the genesis of the fallout between him and his Deputy.
Relaunching Uhuru Projects
The Head of State also defended his decision to 're-launch' some of the roads launched by his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta—an issue that has been the subject of controversy.
According to Ruto, most of the projects by the Jubilee government he served in had stalled due to funding problems.
This forced him to redo the budget to accommodate the projects, and that is why he had embarked on a relaunch.
''The Mau Mau roads when I came into office were already stalled. So, what I have done over the past two years is to reorganize the economy,'' he added.
The President is set to embark on his official tour of nine Mt. Kenya counties starting Tuesday. He will commence in Laikipia County, followed by Nyeri on the same day. On Wednesday, he will visit Meru and Kirinyaga, then proceed to Nyandarua and Murang’a on Thursday. The tour will conclude on Friday in Tharaka Nithi.
