Uhuru-allied Cabinet Secretaries make fun of William Ruto's demotion, DP's team responds with worrying insults

Uhuru's CSs make fun of Ruto's demotion, DP's team responds with worrying insults

Tony Mukere

September 4, 2020 9:34 AM

Public exchange of harsh words reveals break down in govt

President Uhuru Kenyatta with CSs Dr Fred Matiang'i (Interior) and Mutahi Kagwe (Health) during an address to the nation on May 23, 2020

The frosty relationship between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto is now extending to the Cabinet with growing disharmony and public insults among the top government officials.

On Wednesday, a number of Cabinet Secretaries allied to President Kenyatta publicly mocked DP Ruto over his reduced role in government.

The CSs included Interior CS Fred Matiang'i, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, and Environment CS Keriako Tobiko who played the role of host in the visit to his home county of Kajiado.

Kagwe told members of the public that he had only agreed to make the visit because he had been asked by Chairman Matiang'i in response to the Interior CS' position as Chairperson of the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee (NDICC).

The Health CS added that if it had been "the other guy" he would not have bothered to visit Kajiado - in apparent reference to the DP.

"Most times I deal with health issues but today I decided to come visit you and than you for your work. Kama ingekuwa jamaa mwingine sikukuja (if it was that other guy I would not have come) but since Chairman asked me, I had to come," Kagwe said.

Tobiko, on his part, criticized what he termed as premature campaigns to replace President Uhuru Kenyatta in apparent attack on the DP who has been receiving delegations from Kajiado.

"We have been sent here by the President under the leadership of Matiang'i. There are people who say Matiang'i is taking some other guy's job but that is not correct. The President is in charge of this government and we have two years. This effort of early campaigns and receiving delegations can be put to better use," Tobiko stated.

Matiang'i steered clear of a direct attack on the DP but urged government officials to reclaim the Mau Forest without being intimidated by anyone, assuring that they had the support of the President.

The remarks immediately drew counbter attackls from Ruto's supporters, with one MP using the term idiot on the Environment CS.

"Keriako Tobiko is an idiot and a loser, he could not even prosecute a fly when he was DPP," Belgut MP Nelson Koech hit back.

"Mr. Tobiko you are a mere clerk in Jubilee govt. You forget so fast that you became a CS because the President was trying to get rid of you from the office of DPP. You have no moral authority to lecture your boss the DP even if he is being molested by his boss.First try to be MCA," Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen responded.