NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 14 — President William Ruto has likened his critics to the Biblical Sanballat and Tobias who opposed Nehemiah’s efforts to rebuild Jerusalem city walls.
Ruto who spoke Tuesday during the National Prayer Day said he will prove wrong those opposing his leadership including Azimio leader Raila Odinga and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.
He appeared to equate the two chief critics — Odinga and Kenyatta — to Sanballat and Tobiah.
The Head of State stated that he will not be distracted by anyone in his quest to build a better Kenya for Kenyans.
“They should read from Nehemiah There were two arrogant fellows who told Nehemiah even a fox would crash the wall he wall building,” he said.
“So let Sanballat and Tobiah do what they want to do. Kenya will move forward,” Ruto told an ecstatic congregation led by a evangelical preachers.
President Ruto spoke at the Nyayo National Stadium during an interdenominational prayer meeting to seek divine intervention on the ongoing hunger and drought situation in the country.
Odinga-Kenyatta alliance
His comments come at a time when Odinga and his allies have been critical of his leadership citing an apparent failure to address pressing challenges including the high cost of living.
The ongoing debate on taxation has also irked Odinga and Kenyatta who have been on the offensive over his plans to widen the tax base.
Odinga has been actively involved in political rallies, asserting that he won the 2022 presidential election despite the Supreme Court’s ruling that dismissed his challenge against President Ruto’s victory.
On Sunday, the Azimio leader held his fifth rally against the government in Busia County.
Odinga has held major rallies in Kibra, Kamukunji, Jacaranda Grounds, and Machakos, where he declared that he will not recognize Ruto as president and claimed that the election was rigged.
However, he did not provide any evidence to support his claims.
Azimio squabbles
Together with his ally, Kenyatta, Odinga has reassured Azimio supporters the coalition remains united despite defections by dozens of lawmakers to Ruto’s camp.
Kenyatta has defended his continued support for Odinga, saying that he has the democratic right to support any political leader of his choice.
Despite retiring from active politics, the former President stated that he remains fully engaged and will not leave the political arena anytime soon.
“Even if I am not in active politics, I am still a follower of Raila. When he asks me to go, I must go,” he said.
The move by Kenyatta to stay active in national politics has angered some of Ruto’s allies with some of them urging the Head of State to recall his appointment a regional peace envoy.
On Sunday, former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko urged Ruto to fire his predecessor as his peace envoy to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia.
Sonko said during an interdenominational thanksgiving service in Nakuru, that Ruto should take action against those who continue to undermine him.
“Because you are a forgiving person you gave him (Uhuru) a job as a DRC peace envoy. If he (Uhuru) continues disrespecting you, fire him,” Sonko charged.
