CS Wamalwa was Supposed to be Uhuru’s Deputy, Not Ruto – Murathe

Jubilee Party Vice-Chairman David Murathe now alleges William Ruto was an afterthought candidate for deputy president.

Uhuru Kenyatta and his staff chose Eugene Wamalwa as the former’s running mate after the formation of The National Alliance (TNA) Party, Murathe said.

TNA, on the other hand, decided to have Ruto serve as deputy president in order to ease tensions between the Kikuyus and Kalenjins.

“In efforts to heal the 2007/2008 post-election wounds, TNA resolved that the deputy president slot should go to a member of the Rift Valley community, now that Uhuru Kenyatta had secured the president’s slot,” said Murathe.

Read: Ruto Takes on President Uhuru After Resignation Calls

When there were rumors that Ruto was considering resigning following his spat with President Kenyatta, Jubilee opted to replace him with Eugene Wamalwa, according to the ruling party’s vice-chairperson.

“The president was hoping he could replace Ruto with Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, but the deputy president did not resign as we’d expected,” he told Webuye residents on Sunday.

DP Ruto, according to Murathe, lacks the bravery to challenge the president when outside of government.

“Jaramogi Oginga Odinga resigned as Vice-President under Jomo Kenyatta’s administration [on April 14, 1966], when he (Jaramogi) and Jomo were not reading from the same page. Ruto, who is antagonising the president, has not mustered the courage to walk out of government,” he said.

Read Also: He is the Best President Kenya Ever Had – Ruto Eulogizes Kibaki

Murathe charged that the vice president “enjoys public resources while accomplishing nothing for the government.”

“For four years now, he (Ruto) has been idling. He’s only good at insulting the president.”

Ruto should not be “too sure” of the Mt. Kenya vote in his presidential campaign, stated the Jubilee vice-chairperson.

“They (Mt. Kenya voters) will dump you (Ruto) at the ballot box,” he continued.

Read Also: Raila Does Not Need Mt Kenya Votes To Win the Presidency – Murathe

In the last four years, Raila Odinga has been the president’s closest friend, according to Murathe, and his “selfless trait makes him the most ideal person to succeed Uhuru Kenyatta as president.”

“Very soon, President Kenyatta will start campaigning vigorously for Odinga’s presidential bid. He’ll be clearer on why he prefers Raila to Ruto,” he said.

Wamalwa said he was “shocked” to hear Ruto underestimate the significance of President Kenyatta and Raila’s handshake in 2018 during his remarks at Mwai Kibaki’s burial in Othaya on Saturday.

“If the deputy president does not believe in the importance of the handshake, tell him that many Kenyans cherish its outcome. When he said that Kenya shouldn’t have more handshakes post-2022 polls, I was surprised. Those remarks were disrespectful,” said Wamalwa.

Read Also: We are Ready to Protect Our Votes – Raila

“I urge Ruto to concede defeat [should he lose] in the August 9, 2022 General Election.”

Ruto, on his part, has accused Kenyatta of sidelining him in government in favor of Raila Odinga.

According to the deputy president, the majority of development projects under the Jubilee administration were completed between 2013 and 2017 during the ruling party’s first term in office.

The projects came to a halt when Kenyatta and Raila shook hands, the second-in-command has claimed in the past.

Ruto has particularly fingered Raila for “hijacking” Jubilee party and derailing its initiatives, specially the Big Four Agenda.