Ruto Responds to Raila's 14-Day Ultimatum

Photo collage between President William Ruto and Azimio Principal Raila Odinga
Photo collage between President William Ruto and Azimio Principal Raila Odinga
Photo
PCS/Raila Odinga

President William Ruto on Wednesday, February 22, told off Azimio Leader Raila Odinga over his 14-day ultimatum and mass action threats.

Speaking during the launch of the Nairobi River Commission (NRC) at Korogocho, Nairobi County, Ruto warned Raila against instigating violence in the country. 

The head of state, in a strongly-worded statement maintained that nobody would be allowed to intimidate him and his government since Kenya belongs to everyone. 

"You will demonstrate until you get tired of it," Ruto warned Raila while telling him to focus on the productive things in life.

President William Ruto (left) with businessman with Narendra Raval during official opening of DevKi steel plant on November 18, 2022,
President William Ruto (left) with businessman Narendra Raval during the official opening of DevKi Steel Plant on November 18, 2022.
PCS

At a National Prayer Rally in Jeewanjee Gardens in Nairobi on Wednesday, February 22, Raila issued six demands to President Ruto, warning that he will take serious action should he fail to act. 

The opposition chief warned the Kenya Kwanza government that he will lead countrywide mass action should President Ruto fail to take action. 

"If demands are not heeded within 14 days, we shall lead Kenyans to mass action across the country to restore sanity," Raila stated.

Among the demands, Raila asked Ruto to re-introduce food subsidies that must be restored to cushion Kenyans from the high cost of living.

He also asked the Head of State to ensure that all children who had dropped out of school were brought back and immediately registered for their academic programmes in order to ensure 100 per cent transition. 

However, Ruto rejected Raila's demands and warned him against the intended mass action, noting that any violence will be dealt with according to the law. 

"We are all equal before the law, and any attempt to cause chaos will be dealt with accordingly. Nobody, nobody, let me repeat, nobody will be allowed to intimate others in this country," Ruto warned. 

Ruto told Raila that he had no time for people who were living a good life, and that, his main agenda is to ensure that less privileged Kenyans were well attended to. 

"My plan is to ensure that the living standards of ordinary Kenyans are improved, and they should know that we are busy building what they broke," Ruto claimed. 

Raila also asked President Ruto to ensure that police officers are not used to oppress those who did not support or vote for the Kenya Kwanza government in the August 2022 General Election. 

"You see how they keep punishing Uhuru's former Cabinet. Recently, we saw what happened to Matiang'i. Now they want to inflict harm on Danstan Omari as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) wrote to him to investigate him. We want to tell them to leave Matiang'i and Omari alone," Raila noted.

Former CS Fred Matiang'i's lawyers led by Danstan Omari address the press outside Milimani Courts on Thursday, February 9, 2023
Former CS Fred Matiang'i's lawyers led by Danstan Omari address the press outside Milimani Courts on Thursday, February 9, 2023.
Photo/Danstan Omari
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