Deputy President, William Ruto, has launched a veiled attack against his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta, over the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
On Monday, August 23, President Kenyatta hailed the BBI as a bill that would offer many benefits to Kenyans rather than a personal agenda to help a few individuals ascend to power.
However, the Deputy President now states that the bill was dangerous for the country and it was meant to reward a few politicians perceived to be close to the powers that be.
Ruto, who was hosting leaders from the larger Makueni County on Tuesday, August 24, at his Karen residence, said that BBI was a recipe for disaster and would plunge the country into presidential imperialism.
"How will you be accountable if BBI was suggesting that we have a President who controls the legislature through the appointment of MPs into the Executive and controls the Judiciary?"
"We would have an imperial presidency, let us not lie to ourselves, let us not lie to the people, BBI was dangerous," Ruto stated.
The DP was responding to the President's remarks on the BBI judgment after the Court of Appeal annulled it.
The President expressed his disappointment over the judgment, noting that a section of politicians had turned the BBI agenda into a political battle instead of focusing on its main agenda, which was uniting the nation.
"I was keen on the project. Unfortunately, the court made its ruling and I believe they were highly misguided. We have politicians focusing on short-term political gains and they deviated (from the national agenda) and made BBI an issue of competition. I don't know why," said the President on Monday.
“BBI has no clause that says the incumbent President will continue for ten years.”
The President also addressed his strained relationship with his Deputy, pointing out that Ruto had been opposed to the unity agenda.
"DP Ruto has been opposed to the process. You cannot bring someone who is opposed and does not want to see things happen on board. You cannot force something down someone’s throat," Uhuru stated.
