Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i, has hit back at Deputy President William Ruto over claims that he took his job during a re-organisation of the government by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Addressing the press, a seemingly angry Matiang'i stated that despite keeping his cool, the DP and his allies keep provoking him with an aim of causing further strain in their working relations.
The tough-speaking CS challenged Ruto to come out and tell Kenyans which job he exactly took from him, further noting that his silence has been due to the respect he has for Uhuru and the clergy who have been advising him.
Matiang'i stated they have constantly been advised by the clergy and other senior members of high standing in the society to remain calm, adding that this is the reason all CSs have opted to remain quiet when attacked by the Deputy President.
He further explained that together with his colleagues in the Cabinet, they have avoided commenting on some claims made by Ruto and his allies due to the respect they are required to according to the Office of the Deputy President.
Matiang'i stated that in the near future they will be giving their side of the story and their silence should not be taken for granted. He noted that the offices they hold are held in high regard and they do not advocate for street debates with the DP or his allies.
"A number of my colleagues and I in Cabinet have been having conversations about the limit of this edict of collective responsibility. There are certain things we have avoided responding on because we respect certain offices."
"It now would appear others have gone out of it but still because we respect H.E. the President, we would like to consult further on when we can actually talk about those kinds of things," Matiang'i stated.
He noted that just because they have taken the high road in the court of public opinion, it does not mean that they cannot engage in public mudslinging with the DP. He maintained that they will respond to the claims that are being made against them at an appropriate time.
“Keeping quiet when such reckless claims are made does not mean we have nothing to say, I have taken counsel from the clergy, leaders in the private sector and people who care for the future and stability of this country not to go in the wrong direction especially now during the elections,” he stated.
CS Matiang'i stated that the DP and his allies have been hypocritical in their criticism during the campaign period and questioned why Ruto was not against them supporting him in 2017.
He questioned why Ruto and his allies never raised issues in 2017 because he was with them on the campaign trail. He challenged them to dispel videos of their campaigns in 2017 where he even spoke at meetings.
“In 2017, I was on the campaign trail with all of them here in Kisii, so did I become a CS now in 2022? Why did they not raise the issue then? I addressed public meetings, I was with them throughout the campaigns in rallies and now they are making those claims,” he stated.
“Now because we are not with them, we are breaking the law. This dishonesty characterizes the behaviour of those people, very dishonest people seeking public leadership with cheaper and petty sympathies, there is no law we have broken,” the CS added.
