Kieni MP Kanini Kega has hinted out at consequences that Deputy President William Ruto may face for skipping the Covid-19 conference hosted at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, September 29, Kega, who is also the National budget and appropriation committee chair, stated that the DP should be penalised for neglecting his duties.
"There is absolutely no reason why the deputy president would skip a state event, so we want to tell him, we cannot be appropriating funds to your office yet you are not ready to discharge the responsibilities that have been given to you by the constitution of assisting and deputizing the president," Kega stated.
Jubilee vice chairperson David Murathe interpreted Ruto's absence to mean that he did not care about the party's well-being.
"You are a lame duck, I am heeding the ground, I do not need you," Murathe interpreted Ruto's message.
He added that the DP had gone on record saying that he did not have any work assigned to him, and that Interior CS Fred Matiang'i had taken over his duties.
In a rejoinder, however, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa warned Kega against plans to reduce part of the budget allocated to the DP.
“Did I hear Kieni MP say he can choose not to appropriate money to the office of the DP? I dare you to try it," Ichungwa stated.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria also rubbished Kega's sentiments questioning why the same politicians had been quiet when Ruto was left out of key government meetings in the past.
The Ruto debate begun when he skipped a conference where key government officials were in attendance.
The President officially opened the conference and was scheduled to deliver a state address on the Covid-19 situation in the country.
The official programme indicated that Ruto was expected to speak after former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and was to welcome Uhuru to issue his speech.
State house spokesperson Kanze Dena confirmed that Ruto was invited to the conference but was a no-show when it commenced at around 2 p.m.
