NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 23 – President William Ruto has dismissed planned demonstrations by Raila Odinga as a futile attempt meant to intimidate him.
Ruto who spoke shortly after Odinga outlined a list of demands including an audit of the 2022 presidential election said the Azimio leader should “forget about it” while referring to the planned protests.
“Please, this tactic will not work on me, I urge you to forget about it,” he said.
Speaking during the funeral of Trade CS Moses Kuria’s sister, Pauline Kuria, Ruto said the government will not be blackmailed into serving the interests of a few people, noting that the demonstrations will not work on intimidating him.
“We are going to serve the people of Kenya, we will not allow a few people holding demonstrations to derail us, that will not happen,” said Ruto.
He advised Odinga to focus on his role as an opposition leader and work to keep the government in check.
President Ruto said demonstrations are a waste of time and urged the Azimio to stop what he termed as diversionary tactics to disrupt government attention on pressing national matters.
The Head of State said he would not allow the demonstrations to destroy businesses and the economy adding unlike his predecessors he won’t be cowed to yield to Odinga’s demands.
He dismissed the call of an audit of the presidential election as a circus.
“Those people are in the darkness yet we are now in the light. I want to ask you please change the tactic from the previous one. During Moi’s time you said he didn’t win, he was sworn in; then during Kibaki’s time the same and he gave you nusu mkate (half half government). Uhuru’s time came and you got the handshake,” he stated.
Ruto warned Azimio supporters to be wary of attending such demonstrations which are designed to only benefit the elite in Odinga’s camp.
“They are not doing these demonstrations for the benefit of Kenyans, but for their own benefit, their families and their businesses. We will not take that road again,” said Ruto.