DP William Ruto reveals 2005 speech that led to bad relationship with the late Daniel arap Moi

Angry Moi ordered me & my team to be locked out of his gate - Ruto

Tony Mukere

February 7, 2020 10:26 AM

Ruto spills the beans on bad blood between him & Moi

File image of DP Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto on Thursday night spoke on his complicated relationship with former President, the late Daniel arap Moi.

Ruto said he had a lot of respect for the late Moi whom he acknowledge had mentored him into politics.

The DP added that he bought the first car after Moi gave him and his friends a public piece of land in Eldoret which they sold shortly after,

On their bitter fall out, Ruto said things changed in 2005 when he announced his Presidential candidature which he claimed upset Moi's succession plan for the Kalenjin community.

"A small problem between me and Moi started in 2005 when in 2005 I held a meeting in Eldama Ravine where I declared I would run for President. It was the stroke that broke the camel's back."

"The tradition had been that whenever we were around Nakuru, we would pass by Kabarak and have tea with him. After that meeting, me and about 15 MPs went to Kabarak as usual but we found the gates locked and the guards told us an angry Moi had said he did not want to see us, so we left," Ruto recalled.

The DP said the former President shortly after issued a press statement against him (Ruto) and calling for a more older person to take over position of Kalenjin kingpin.

"I later learnt Moi had a different idea of who should lead the community and I told him that I did not want to become a community leader. I wanted to become the President and I told him the likes of Biwott and Henry Kosgey were free to lead the community but I wanted to lead the country. From there things did not quite go well," the DP stated.

Regarding the 2018 incident where he was blocked from seeing Moi at his Kabarak home, Ruto said he did not wish to comment on the matter.

He, however, denied being isolated in Moi's burial plans saying his role in government was clearly stipulated in the constitution.

Tony Mukere