NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 10 – Deputy President William Ruto says he will respect any decision the Jubilee Party makes during the National Delegates Conference (NDC) set for November 30.
Speaking during an interview with journalists in Kisumu City on Wednesday, Ruto referred to the ruling Party as ‘just a problem’ and explained why he has shifted to the United Democratic Alliance party.
“I don’t want us to have a quarrel with Jubilee, we have moved. We wish them well in whatever they want to do. We will respect whatever decision they will take, we will contest,” he said.
The DP said he is focused on popularizing UDA as his vehicle of choice in the 2022 presidential elections, as he castigated what he said was a continued bid to ostracize those allied to him in the ruling party.
“We tried as members of Jubilee to hold elections, it was not possible. We tried to organise meetings to reorganize the party it was not possible. The only meetings which were there were meetings to kick out people,” Ruto said.
The ruling party last week launched a new offensive against rebel elements within its ranks, including Ruto who is the Deputy Party Leader.
Party officials and Members of Parliament loyal to President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Party Leader, announced plans to hold its NDC on November 30 with removal of Ruto as deputy party leader expected to feature in the agenda.
“We are in the process of a major, carefully planned, and unprecedented revamp that will send a message to our detractors,” the Jubilee Parliamentary Caucus said.
A number of MPs who have publicly pledged affiliation to Ruto’s breakaway UDA party could also be targeted in the new purge.
“The Jubilee Deputy Party Leader and his small team of rebellious allies have officially said that they have left the Jubilee Party, for UDA. We, therefore, cannot understand the anger and bitterness we see in them when they hear that Jubilee is revamping,” the party stated.
Ruto, who has fallen out with President Kenyatta over his March 2018 political cooperation pact with ODM Leader Raila Odinga and succession politics, has also resisted calls to resign for incessantly criticizing the President’s policies publicly and campaigning for his own 2022 presidential bid on another party’s platform.
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