NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 24 – Deputy President William Ruto has said his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) will avoid sealing political deals with outfits sponsored by its detractors.
Ruto, while responding to questions on why he declined to form an alliance with smaller regional outfits, said some of the parties were sponsored by his rivals and would rock his boat.
“We know who the sponsors of some of this outfits are,” he responded saying UDA will not be ensnared in schemes by its competitors.
While making reference to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, the DP pointed out that parties allied to Azimio are just but ODM trying to hide its ‘ugly’ political past.
“Let us not pretend that we do not all those parties are just ODM camouflaging as Azimio just to confuse Kenyans with the name,” the DP said.
Ruto spoke following a UDA Parliamentary Group which endorsed a partnership with the Amani National Congress and FORD Kenya.
“With this partnership, the country has been given direction on the next general election. We believe all independent arms of the government should perform their duties as expected by the constitution and we will work together in supporting them to ensure a free fair and credible election,” said Ruto.
DP Ruto had previously insisted that he will not form a coalition ahead of the 2022 presidential election vowing to unite his supporters under the UDA party.
His sentiments angered some political players from central region including former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri of The Service Party (TSP), who was Ruto’s close allay, once touted as a possible running mate.
He parted ways with DP focused on popularizing his TSP outfit.
However, on Sunday, Ruto announced that UDA will work with the Amani National Congress (ANC), Ford Kenya and any other like-minded parties as he joined forces with Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula.
Ruto, who was speaking during the ANC’s National Delegates Congress at the Bomas of Kenya, stated that the parties will hold joint campaign rallies starting with Nakuru on Wednesday before they tour Bungoma on Friday and Central region on Saturday.
“Kenya is greater than anyone of us and we will make sacrifices that needs to be made so that we can consolidate our nation and take Kenyan to the next level,” he said.
Ruto, Mudavadi and Wetangula vowed to take the leadership of the country to a new level, devoid of political deceit.
“We are going to walk this journey with many Kenyans. We will raise the bar of leadership so that deceit, lies and conmanship doesn’t become part of the equation in leadership,” Ruto said.