Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale on Tuesday, October 29, came to the defense of the Deputy President William Ruto over a mocking depiction of his efforts to campaign for the Jubilee candidate Mcdonald Mariga in Kibera.
The editorial cartoon presented on AM Live on NTV had portrayed the leaders of three parties fronting candidates for the Kibera by-election flexing their muscles, which varied in size depending on the chances that, according to the cartoonist, each candidate stood.
Raila Odinga (ODM) was portrayed as having the biggest muscle, followed by a haggard DP Ruto (Jubilee Party) and the ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, whose candidate was depicted to not having any chances against the first two.
The editorial cartoon generated reactions amongst the AM Live panelists, with Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo agreeing with the depiction and daring Khalwale to respond to it.
"The artist depicted Raila as showing determination and the ANC leader as smiling, while DP Ruto was crying, which is a usual thing," Otiende had stated.
Khalwale, responding to the dare by Amollo, agreed with the artist's depiction of the Deputy President.
"I want to agree with Amollo Otiende that Ruto is crying. It is without a doubt that you too have cried before, and I have cried before, but fortunately, psychologists know that you can have tears of joy and tears of sorrow," he stated.
He explained that the DP was crying with joy because he had not been aware that the Jubilee candidate could beat the ODM candidate in Kibra, but the tables had started to turn in his favour.
The former senator added that he and other jubilee party leaders were set to embark on their campaigns in Kibera on Tuesday, October 29, in accordance with the party's agreement.
The race for the Kibra seat is winding to a close, with less than two weeks left before the November 7 by-election.
On Sunday, October 27, the ODM party, led by the leader Raila Odinga and Jubilee led by DP Ruto organized parallel rallies to drum up support for their candidates Imran Okoth and McDonald Mariga respectively.
