Ruto: Those Destroying Jubilee Are The Demolition Squad

The deputy president Dr William Ruto gestures while making a speech at a past political rally. [Source Courtesy]

Just days after the Kenyan head of state President Uhuru Kenyatta warned the members of his community about electing a demolition squad, the deputy president Dr William Ruto has spoken out on who are the demolition squad. Speaking on Friday in Kilifi, the country's second in command claimed Raila Odinga, the Orange Democratic Movement party leader and former prime minister, is part of that squad.

Ruto said that the former prime minister had wrecked the National Super Alliance and was now in the process of demolishing the governing Jubilee party. He denied that he was a demolisher, rattling off a list of development projects that he had pushed for.

"I am not part of the demolition squad, the demolition squad are the guys who destroyed NASA and now want to destroy our party. They are the ones destroying our party. I have been a builder. I have built roads, provided water and connected millions of Kenyans to the national grid, " the deputy president Dr William Ruto said on Friday in Kilifi.

The Kenyan head of state President Uhuru Kenyatta speaks to the public at a past national event. [Source Courtesy]

William Ruto is at the coast in a bid to popularise his presidential aspirations. On Thursday, he was hosted by the Lungalunga member of parliament Khatib Mwashetani. The coastal region has long been in the grip of the Orange Democratic Movement party leader Raila Odinga. That grip appears to be weakening as the deputy president has been able to make inroads into the vote rich region. An ally of the Ruto won the a parliamentary by-election in Msambweni weeks ago.

The deputy president is banking on the struggling Kenyans, the so-called squad, to ascend to the presidency. He has cast himself as a champion of the disadvantaged people ravaged by chronic unemployment. His Hustler Nation narrative appears to be resonating with huge swathes of the population. Critics say that the deputy president is keen on igniting a class war between the rich and the poor, a criticism that William Ruto has strongly rejected.