All eyes were on President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga when Deputy President William Ruto relayed his speech during the launch of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report on Monday, October 26.
The DP's speech had little praise for the BBI and largely touched on what he termed as flaws in Uhuru and Raila's pet project.
As Ruto tore into the report, the President could be seen staring blankly in the air and sometimes smiling in apparent disbelief. The ODM leader, on his part, could also be spotted fidgeting on his seat as the DP relayed parts of his message. Odinga did not have his face mask on, giving a clear view of his expressions.
TV directors and camerapersons were keen to make sure that emotions from notable individuals were captured every time the DP made a comment that seemed to upset his colleagues at the VIP dais.
When the DP began his speech, for instance, he mentioned that the media was trying to reduce the event to a campaign for the 2022 elections.
His sentiments were prompted after a national newspaper indicated that ODM leader Raila Odinga would be in the ballot come 2022.
At this moment, the cameraperson punned his equipment to capture Odinga who was unable to sit still but was anxiously fidgeting.
The DP would move to talk about the agriculture sector and how the document needed to improve it to make the lives of coffee and tea farmers more bearable.
Agriculture CS Peter Munya was captured folding his arms while seemingly casting a look of disapproval.
Jubilee Vice Chairperson David Murathe and former presidential candidate Peter Kenneth were also captured staring into space while the DP was making his remarks.
The DP faulted the BBI report on top leadership saying that it did not include the opposition leaders for the top positions in government, using the NASA coalition as an example.
"We have Jimmy Angwenyi, who is our Deputy Prime Minister and maybe Maoka Maore as one of our deputies, so, what happens to our NASA brigade together with Musalia and all these other people," the DP posed as he got jeers from the tough crowd.
Here, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and FORD-Kenya leader Moses Wetangula were seen talking in hushed voices.
The crowd at this point booed the DP, waving in a bid to show disapproval but he proceeded with his speech, insisting that he was speaking for millions of hustlers.
Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo appeared particularly angered by the comments as she stood and heckled Ruto, drowning his speech.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was introduced by the DP, responded to the DP saying that he was part and parcel of the BBI report since its inception.
"I also want to thank my deputy president because all I know, along that path, I kept him abreast of what was going on. He was part and parcel, it is the truth. I am not lying, you can ask him.
"In fact, he helped me identify some of the people I just mentioned here, and the purpose as I had told him and as we agreed with Raila, was never to talk about what shall happen tomorrow in terms of elective posts. I said it was an extension of what I and you did in 2013," he stated.
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