Martha Karua Faults Uhuru for Sidelining Ruto, Says the Two Should Resign

Narc-Kenya party leader Martha Karua has faulted President Kenyatta for sidelining Deputy President William Ruto.

Karua, who spoke during an interview with Citizen TV on Tuesday, accused Kenyatta of contravening the law by failing to have a good working relationship with Ruto.

“President Kenyatta should be bringing the nation together and leading by example by having a good working relationship with his deputy,” said Karua.

She added: “He has set a bad example where a president can ignore the constitution and the law and lockout his deputy from work. One wonders then who would want to be a deputy in those circumstances.”

While acknowledging that the two are allowed to disagree on certain issues, Karua insisted that they have a constitutional duty to develop a workable relationship, failure to which they should resign and allow Kenyans to elect new leaders who are ready to work as a unit.

“Previously we had some governors mistreating their deputies. This is completely unconstitutional. The president has joined the bandwagon. It is a bad example. They should be able to agree to disagree, to differ with respect on some aspects but to continue to operate as the presidency,” she said.

“They can both resign and pave way for the elections. They were elected as a unit and should operate as a unit. If the president feels he can no longer work with his deputy and if his deputy has done anything that contravenes the constitution, the only way put is either impeach him or put up with him and develop a workable relationship.”

Kenyatta and Ruto have had a frosty relationship since the 2018 handshake between the president and ODM leader Raila Odinga.

In an interview last month, Ruto blamed Kenyatta for allowing people close to him to humiliate and disrespect him.

“Very many deputy presidents are fought. It is an unfortunate situation. Given an opportunity, I would not allow my deputy president to be humiliated the way former deputy presidents have been humiliated and the way I have been humiliated,” said Ruto.