Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has refuted claims that he lectured the Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku at a public rally on Saturday, May 10.
In a statement on Monday, May 12, the DP said he was not lecturing Ruku but rather a former cabinet secretary from the same area where Ruku comes from, and other former leaders who complained instead of offering solutions to the people while they were in government.
Kindiki, who appeared to be referring to the former Public Service CS Justin Muturi, said that Ruku was his 'friend for years', and termed the 'lecturing' accusations as 'desperate, mischievous, and utterly malicious twists'.
"Seen a desperate, mischievous and utterly malicious twist insinuating that I lectured and disrespected my neighbour, CS Geoffrey Ruku, my friend for years. Falsehood is cheap," he stated.
According to Kindiki, cabinet secretaries and other leaders in government should be focused on providing and influencing solutions for the people rather than criticising and undermining the government that they are part of.
"If you are in government, you are bound by government policy, decisions, and actions. If you are in government and you want it to do something for the people, you use your position in the same way to influence the desired action," he stated.
"If you are in government and you want it to do something for the people, you use your position in the same to influence the desired action. Pretending to be “clever” by undermining a government that you are a senior part of is unlawful and anti-people. It is for the opposition to oppose, criticise," he stated.
In his speech on Saturday, during a meeting with over 5000 elders in Embu County, Ruku had requested the DP, who was also in the meeting, to fast-track infrastructural improvements in the county.
However, after taking the stage, the deputy president, who was seemingly responding to the Ruku's request, claimed that a Cabinet secretary making public appeals to the government for development projects is a form of ' public incitement'.
Kindiki said that members of the cabinet should use the proper protocols to influence and channel development projects in a particular region rather than making them on public forums.
"You are now part of the Cabinet. You should not be inciting the public with complaints. Instead, you should be providing solutions within the Cabinet, which is the top decision-making organ of government.”
“The President entrusted you with that flag. Respect it. It’s not just a piece of cloth forums," he added.
