Ruto Talks Tough Over Jubilee - ODM Merger Reports

Deputy President William Ruto at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi.
Deputy President William Ruto at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi.
The Standard

Deputy President William Ruto appeared to hit out at reports of a looming merger between Jubilee Party and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), urging his party members to ignore the propaganda. 

Reports emerged of a merger between ODM and Jubilee Party but the two parties moved to clear the air, denying rumours of the union. 

Jubilee has been embroiled in wrangles recently after it made changes in the leadership structure of the party which did not go down well with a section of its members allied to the DP.

Ruto took to Twitter on Friday, April 24, to hit out at reports of a merger between Jubilee and ODM, "Jubilee fraternity should ignore propaganda peddled by desperados seeking ragtag ethnic coalitions."

Deputy President William Ruto addresses the media outside his Karen, Nairobi home on Thursday, April 9, 2020
Deputy President William Ruto addresses the media outside his Karen, Nairobi home on Thursday, April 9, 2020
File

"Our progressive constitution vest power in party organs, not personalities. Jubilee, the governing party, has no room for selfish evil experiments meant to benefit brokers & their ilk," wrote Ruto.

This comes after on Thursday, April 23, Shollei admitted that Ruto is aware of Uhuru's betrayal after she was irked by Anne Kiguta's comments which came after her Skype interview on Punchline.

"The Kiguta and Ngunyi script suggested that Ruto still conducts himself as though he is totally unaware that he has been short-changed.

"He is aware, he is acutely aware and so are we all, only that he is a gentleman and as such has refused to conform to the desires and expectations of the Kiguta masters who have laboured strenuously to provoke and force him to behave in a certain way," said Shollei.

Moses Kuria on his social media pages on Thursday, April 9 also hit out at the rumoured merger between Jubilee Party and ODM.

"While others are taking advantage of the fact that High Court is not accessible with Covid-19 to change Jubilee party officials ahead of the merger with ODM and KANU. Roho Chafu! (unclean hearts)," he opined.

Ruto has on a number of occasions opposed the changes effected on the Jubilee Party leadership structure as he took to Twitter on Friday, April 10 to reject the changes.

"As Kenyans are focused on the Covid-19 pandemic, some shadowy characters are attempting to fraudulently institute illegal changes in officials of Jubilee Party.

"As deputy leader, I have alerted the registrar of the fraud. Party members should know that the matter is being handled," DP Ruto stated.

ODM leader Raila Odinga (Left) and Deputy President William Ruto during an event in January 2019.
ODM leader Raila Odinga (Left) and Deputy President William Ruto during an event in January 2019.
File
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