Former Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen has disclosed Deputy President William Ruto's advice to him after his ouster.
Speaking in an interview on Citizen TV, the outspoken leader told Waihiga Mwaura that he held a lengthy conversation with the DP on Tuesday, May 12, where he learned that his problem was not as huge compared to what other leaders have gone through.
Taking anecdotes from his International Criminal Court (ICC) case after the bloody 2007/2008 post-election violence, the DP assured him that great people must be baptised through fire.
"I spoke to the DP today and he told me that every great person must go through the fire. He reminded me that he and the president were taken to the Hague and he reminded me about the time he went and prayed for him to be released from the Hague.
"He said this problem for me (could not be) compared to the monumental problem he and the president faced at the ICC and at the same time as the election," stated Murkomen.
"You remember, when the president was at the ICC, we were also facing terrorism in the country. We were having demonstrations and challenges politically. So my challenges are too small compared to what other great people had gone through," he added.
The partnership between Uhuru and Ruto was cemented while they were both facing charges at the Hague.
Murkomen further clarified that the constitution had provided for the DP to offer pieces of advice to the president noting that even under immense pressure, Ruto had remained calm and carried out his duties loyally.
"I am sure it is in the public domain that Ruto is the deputy to the president. The president constitutionally consults the deputy president and the DP constitutionally presents his counsel to the president.
"He cannot compete with the president. He cannot have a parallel party and parallel position to the president and the DP tried his best even amid provocation from our friends within the party or some people serving within the government," Murkomen stated.
"Ruto has always reminded himself of his responsibility as a deputy and has remained patient," he added.
Murkomen lost his high-ranking senate seat following a closed-door meeting convened by President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House on Monday, May 11. He was replaced by West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio.
Before then, allies of both the DP and the president had seemingly been at loggerheads with Kieleweke, allied to Uhuru, accusing Ruto's camp of carrying out early campaigns.
