The Kikuyu Council of Elders has refuted claims by the community’s elders in the Rift Valley that President Uhuru Kenyatta is frustrating Deputy President William Ruto who helped him clinch the seat in 2013 and 2017.
Kikuyu Elders from the Rift Valley had earlier in the week claimed Uhuru is now frustrating Ruto through proxies contrary to the pact they had when forming an alliance eight years ago.Kikuyu council of elders
Elders Gilbert Kabage and the Kalenjin Myoot Council of Elders chairman retired Bishop Paul Leleito accused the President Kenyatta of waging a war against his deputy as a ploy to avoid keeping his word on backing Ruto for presidency come 2022.
In his response to the accusations Kikuyu Council of Elders’ Secretary General Peter Munga said none of their members was part of the crew that issued the statement.
“Those were elders from the Rift Valley in general and not a single one of them is a member of the Kikuyu Council of Elders,” Munga said.
Munga added that the elders who issued the statement on April 30 are members of the same group from Ruto’s Tangatanga team that has been who have been criticizing and attacking the President.
Kabage and Leleito claimed that the president’s studious silence while his lieutenants were attacking his deputy is indication that he endorsed the attacks.
“What Uhuru is doing to the DP belongs to an uncivilized generation. We have seen tribal clashes in 1992, 1997 and a bad one in 2007-08. We want to speak to the powers that will not be taken in that direction again,” Kabage said.
James Nene, The chairman of Kikuyu Council of Elders, Nakuru County branch also dismissed the statement by Kabage saying that they do not represent the position of their community while Rift Valley branch chairman of the Kikuyu Council of Elders Wachira Kiago described Kabage’s statement as reckless and irresponsible.
There has been strained relationship between the president and his deputy since the ‘handshake’ with opposition chief Raila Odinga. The move that completely turned political tables where the president is now ‘expected’ to ‘betray’ his deputy and not back his candidature in 2022.
Retired President Mwai Kibaki also used and betrayed Odinga after 2002 elections. Kibaki won presidency after enjoying support from Odinga but failed to appoint him the PM, contrary to their agreement before the elections.
Already their are talks of formation of political alliances ahead of 2022 with the president, Odinga and Gideon Moi seen to be working out an alliance that would field a single and strong candidate, possibly against Ruto.
