Deputy President William Ruto's bodyguards were on Friday, October 30, forced to protect him after a man attempted to physically attack him as he was leaving an event in Rurii Stadium, Mathioya.
Reports by the Standard indicated that the DP was walking to his vehicle when the man approached him in an attempt to rough him up.
The DP, who saw the man coming his way, took a step back and covered his face before his security came to his aide, pulling the man aback and pinning him on the ground.
Later, the DP is said to have headed to his next event in Othaya town, where he was meeting a section of women.
The Office of the Deputy President has since responded to the matter, dismissing the report saying that an elderly woman was presenting a gift to the DP when the man followed suit.
"The man was presenting tea leaves to the DP but was stopped by the bodyguards who did not know what he was up to," Mugonyi stated.
He added that the man had since been released.
During the event, the DP lashed out at former Prime Minister on the budget for the planned referendum on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
The DP told off the former Prime Minister for his suggestion that the exercise should not cost more the Ksh2 billion.
"Leave IEBC alone because even the previous referendum when he was Prime Minister, it cost us about Ksh10 billion with 12 million voters. How do you then expect to spend Ksh2 billion on a referendum with 19 million voters?" he questioned.
In addition, Ruto maintained that issues raised in the report would unite Kenyans if the referendum was passed through a consensus.
“All the issues raised in the BBI can be passed if we settle and discuss together and walk together, not dividing Kenyans through a referendum,” Ruto stated.
