Rarely will Deputy President (DP) William Ruto escape a verbal attack in a political gathering. And when this happens President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second in command retaliates with a calculated blow.
On Friday June 3 2016 at the national prayer breakfast meeting the DP amused the audience while introducing Uganda’s Speaker of the National Assembly Rebeca Kadaka.
Ruto streamed in a joke hitting former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. “Rebeca Kadaka was elected unopposed, it doesn’t always happen. In Kenya you first have competitors and when you are declared a winner, you are taken to court. Ask Kenyatta,” he concluded.
At Yvonne Wamalwa’s funeral in Kitale Ruto struck again. It was just a month before the handshake and to Raila’s brigade, especially Senator Wetangula the DP threw a jab.
“Wetangula is my friend. I told them they’ve taken too long a time to pick their leader. Three years. Going to seminars. Here and there. You couldn’t compete with us - a prepared team. And now you are throwing a tantrum. Mambo imekwisha bwana. Tuwe wangwana! (it's over, let us be civil).”
During the May 2018 National Prayer Breakfast meeting at Safari Park, President Kenyatta while concluding his speech, invited Ruto to the podium alongside Odinga and Wipers’ Kalonzo Musyoka.
The head of state then asked his deputy to apologize to Raila and Kalonzo for the vitriol Jubilee showed NASA during and after the 2017 General Election.
Picking the microphone from president Kenyatta, Ruto, tickled the crowd.“Mr President, I thought you were going to do this on our [his and the president's] behalf.”
“As my brother, the president has said and because maybe I’m the one who is mostly accused… (laughter from the crowd) ‘...my brother Kalonzo, following the footsteps of these great leaders [Kenyatta and Raila] and on behalf of all our teams I want to say that for all the things I said or did, I ask for your forgiveness and I tender my apology,” the DP concluded, eliciting laughter and clapping from the crowd.
In May, Ruto took the cue from Lord Michael Hasting's joke at the National Prayer Breakfast, that the UK would not mind a prime minister from Kenya in the wake of Theresa May's exit.
"We have a retired one in Kenya and since the constitution has abolished the position in Kenya and we may not have it any time soon, we will send you his CV, maybe you can consider,” Ruto hilariously stated amidst laughter.
During benga musician, John De’ Mathew’s funeral at Gatanga in August, former Kiambu County boss William Kabogo accused Dr Ruto of engaging in early campaigns.
Later Dr Ruto responded, “bwana rais, unajua huyu mweshimiwa Kabogo ni rafiki yangu na ni rafiki yako pia, lakini saa zingine anakuwanga na uchokozi.” laughter from the crowd.
‘Amekuja kunishtaki kwako ati mimi huwa nafanya siasa, sasa mweshimiwa rais, nataka kukuambia kuwa haya maneno bwana Kabogo anasema sio ukweli. Kama kuna watu wanafanya siasa ni wengine.’
(Your Excellency the President, Hon. Kabogo is my friend and your friend too but at times he stirs up trouble. He is now reporting to you that I am not doing my work. That I am campaigning. Mr President, these accusations made by Hon Kabogo are not true.)
