Raila Calls Out Ruto for Distancing Himself from Jubilee Government

Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga has called out Deputy President William Ruto for claiming that he is not in government.

Odinga, who spoke during a joint TV interview with his running mate Martha Karua on Tuesday, dismissed claims by Ruto that he joined the government following his handshake with President Kenyatta in March 2018.

“Kenyans are not stupid, they know very well that I’m not in government. I don’t earn a salary or allowance from the government and I don’t live in a government house,” said Odinga.

The ODM leader noted that it was hypocritical for Ruto to claim that he is not part of the Jubilee government yet he continues to earn a salary and enjoy other benefits from taxpayers’ funds.

“You cannot say you are not in government but you are earning a salary from the same government, if that is not hypocrisy then I don’t know what hypocrisy is,” Odinga said.

“It’s unfair to make a blanket condemnation on government for somebody who is earning a salary and has over 250 police security officers defending him and is using government vehicles to do campaigns to come out and say he is not government.”

Odinga, 77, distanced himself from the current high cost of living, insisting that he is not in government and that he can only advise President Kenyatta on how to address the matter.

“I do not want to speak for the government, but I have indeed spoken to President Kenyatta about these issues. I know he is facing a lot of challenges, for example now the government is being pulled in two different directions; there is a faction government that is opposing that very government’s agenda.”

“That faction of government is playing with the livelihood of Kenyans. They’re trying to divert attention of the public, playing populist politics with the cost of living,” he added.

He also defended President Kenyatta from blame, saying the high cost of living is majorly caused by external factors that are beyond his control.

“There have been other events which have taken place in other parts of the world, which have themselves are major contributing factors to the cost of living not only in Kenya, but around the world. Even the USA is fighting it, European countries are having serious problems because of what is happening in Ukraine,” Odinga stated.