Deputy President William Ruto denies he nearly slapped Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa

The face-off between Deputy President William Ruto and the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Eugene Wamalwa has now escalated to greater heights.

The Kenya Kwanza Presidential candidate on Tuesday, while addressing residents of Kitalale and Kiptenden in Trans Nzoia County, responded to allegations from CS Wamalwa who claimed the DP almost slapped him in 2018.

DP Ruto appearing in his traditional United Democratic Alliance (UDA) outfit defended himself against the allegations, saying that men in his community are taught to respect women.

"I heard somebody I gave the CS job, who comes from here, claim that I wanted to slap him. Let me tell you this; Where I come from, we do not slap women. Tell him that we respect women," he said.

Kenya Kwanza leaders during a campaign in Bungoma County. Pulse Live Kenya

READ: Ruto confronted Matiang’i, almost slapped me - CS Wamalwa

The UDA party leader further told residents that he was the one who helped CS Wamalwa secure a Cabinet appointment, during the first term of the Jubilee Government. Wamalwa was on April 2015 appointed as the CS for Water and Irrigation Services.

"Tell him to tone down. Without me, he would have been roaming around this county. I got him from the trenches and gave him the CS job," stated the DP.

In a sudden twist, the Democratic Action Party of Kenya, a party that is associated with CS Wamalwa denied that the latter was appointed by the DP, stating President Uhuru Kenyatta was the one who appointed Wamalwa.

"When President Kenyatta appointed Eugene Wamalwa in 2015, you mobilized your URP team to oppose it. You even refused to hand over the Irrigation docket for weeks and only let it go after the Dams funds were hived off to your tribesman in Treasury," read a tweet from the party.

READ: What I would have done if Ruto slapped me - Uhuru

Wamalwa reveals details of a tense confrontation with Ruto

Wamalwa first made the accusations when on July 10, he recounted that Ruto was not impressed after he led a delegation from Western Kenya to meet with President Kenyatta.

The deputy president, particularly, demanded to know why his permission had not been sought prior to the meeting and demanded that Wamalwa, who at the time was CS for Devolution, resign.

“The DP was very furious and demanded my resignation. He wanted me to explain why I had taken the leaders to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta without his permission,” the CS explained during an Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party rally at Bukhungu Stadium.