Ruto Faces Impeachment After BBI Loss

Deputy President William Ruto speaking at a rally in December 2020
Deputy President William Ruto speaking at a rally in December 2020
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President Uhuru Kenyatta allies have renewed impeachment calls for Deputy President William Ruto, a day after the National Assembly passed the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) bill.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, May 7, Majority Leader and Kipipiri MP - Amos Kimunya - warned  Ruto that he will be kicked out of government unless he toes the line and respects President Uhuru Kenyatta. 

Kimunya argued that Uhuru's camp has the requisite numbers to eject the DP from office as. This was after 235 out of 320 MPs voted for the BBI bill on May 6. 

"Those who have been promised wheelbarrows in future must read the mood. The ground is solidly behind the President.

National Assembly Majoirty Leader Amos Kimunya in Parliament on July 14, 2020.
National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya in Parliament on July 14, 2020.
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"We hope their leader has seen the light and will stop defying the President. If he continues with his defiance, these numbers give us confidence and we could escalate things to the next step (impeachment) we have the numbers," Kimunya warned. 

The MPs added that they only require 233 votes to impeach Ruto who had bragged of having lawmakers support only to be stunned by the BBI vote outcome. 

ODM Minority Whip, Junet Mohamed, cautioned that they had proved that numbers don't lie. The Suna East MP added that the BBI vote further demystified the popularity and mass following claims synonymous with Ruto's camp. 

"We are merely being magnanimous. These numbers can lead to other things. They can make somebody lose his job as provided for in the constitution. However, we are focusing on peacebuilding and wouldn't want to try that route now," Junet forewarned. 

The DP and his allies met on Friday morning, May 7 to deliberate on his 2022 succession plan and economic recovery. However, other sources privy to information claimed that the meeting was all about re-strategising after losing the BBI fight at the National Assembly. 

His confidants, in the past, have dared Uhuru and Raila allies to initiate the impeachment motion, declaring that they had the numbers to defeat it.

β€œLet them not discuss the impeachment of the Deputy President in bars, in funerals, and in their apartments. Let them bring it to the floor of the House,” former National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale dared.

The DP himself has always deviated from being dragged into his ouster plot and instead criticised those castigating his relationship with Uhuru.

β€œ99 percent of MPs pretending to give me lectures on supporting Uhuru Kenyatta have never voted for him. I have campaigned, voted and supported him in the four elections he ran for President," Ruto tweeted in March 2020.

An image of Kimunya and Junet
National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya (left) and Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed (right) during a meeting on Tuesday 7 July 2020.
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