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Ruto under fire for 'ningemchapa kofi' remarks

Ruto opened up on nearly slapping Uhuru during a meeting with Kikuyu elders at his Karen home

Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate Dr William Ruto

An admission by Deputy President William Ruto that he almost slapped President Uhuru Kenyatta has caused an uproar with Azimio politicians weighing in on the matter.

While addressing a section of Kikuyu elders on Friday at his Karen home, Nation reports that Ruto confessed to those attending the meeting that matters nearly got physical in the heated meeting.

In the leaked recording, Ruto recounted that after the Supreme Court annulled the results of the 2017 presidential elections, a distraught Uhuru nearly gave up the fight for a second term and explained that it was his insistence that saw Uhuru hit the campaign trail again to win a second term in the repeat polls.

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According to Ruto, Uhuru was not keen on fighting for the second term following the Supreme Court’s decision and had even considered retiring to his Ichaweri home during the meeting held on September 1, 2017.

So, ndiyo huyo… Oh, sasa, hii maneno, sijui nini, mimi sitaki, mimi nataki kuenda Ichaweri, sasa mimi sitaki, wacha tuachane na hii kitu.

"(There he was, saying that he is not keen on taking part in the repeat elections and that he wants to go to Ichaweri (Uhuru’s home village in Kiambu County), that we should abandon this thing.” Ruto narrated.

He added: “Mimi nikamwangalia, nikamwambia ‘wewe’! Ni vile tu nilikua na heshima, ningemchapa kofi. Ati sisi tuache?

"(I just looked at him and only said ‘you!’ It is only that I respected him, otherwise I would have slapped him. How could we just quit?).”

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Responding to the news, Suna East Member of Parliament, Junet Mohamed noted that for a sitting Deputy President to contemplate slapping his boss should not be taken lightly.

"A man who says he nearly assaulted the sitting President will not hesitate to murder his political opponents, as individuals and as communities. Kenya must reject William Ruto. Kenya will reject William Ruto," Junet noted.

"The truth is that their relationship (Uhuru and Ruto) went bad in the first term. Ruto was always being linked to corruption and undermining his boss. He actually approached us with the promise that the impeachment motion against Uhuru would be the first agenda of Parliament. When Uhuru learnt about it he asked for our help," added the lawmaker.

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Former Gatanga MP Peter Kennneth argued out that after lying to the public for many years that the handshake ruined his relationship with the president, Kenyans have finally known the truth that things were bad even before the handshake.

"He has been lying that Raila caused problems between him and Uhuru, but today we read his own confession that the problems had started long before the handshake. In 2017, he was even threatening to beat up Uhuru - showing just how their relationship had deteriorated," Kenneth explained.

Raila Odinga’s aide, Silas Jakakimba opined that Kenyans should take such remarks seriously noting:

"William Ruto, with his anger and unguided verbose rate, must be saved by voters on August 9, not just from Mr. GGMA aka Give Gachagua Mike Again but, also from himself too. It will happen inshallah and my guess is that he may reach Sugoi earlier than Mr. Kenyatta will land Ichaweri," Jakakimba noted.

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