President William Ruto has chastised opposition leader Raila Odinga for criticizing the current government.
As the country’s high cost of living continues to bite, Odinga is among the leaders who have recently accused President Ruto of ‘lying to Kenyans’ by failing to keep campaign promises.
He recently claimed that the Kenya Kwanza government had duped Kenyans with “unachievable promises,” adding that the country was already feeling the effects of poor leadership.
However, the Head of State dismissed Odinga’s criticism as premature, telling the Azimio La Umoja leader that it is too soon to criticize him for underperformance after only two months in office.
“Wale ambao tulishindana na wao, mimi nataka niwaambie watulize boli, mambo bado,” Ruto said during an interdenominational prayer service at Kericho Green Stadium in Kericho County on Sunday.
He noted that he inherited a struggling economy from former President Kenyatta and that he will require time to fix things.
“Uchumi ilikuwa imesambaratika, tuko na madeni kutoka hapa hadi sijui wapi. Kilimo ilikuwa imeharibika mpaka bei ya unga ikafika zaidi ya shilingi mia mbili, mambo ya usalama yakiluwa yamezoroteka mili ya watu inapatikana kule River Yala,” Ruto told congregants.
President Ruto also accused Odinga of being partly to blame for the current state of affairs because of his alliance with President Kenyatta.
“Hawa jama hawawezi kutuzuia kubadilisha Kenya… Waliharibu nchi yetu, watupatie nafasi tuifanyie ukarabati na tuipange iweze kuenda mbele. Walitumia miaka mitani kuharibu nchi; uchumi, madeni, usalama, polisi wakakua watu wa kuua wananchi,” said Ruto.
As part of his plan to address extrajudicial killings in the country, he said he had directed the disbandment of the Special Service Unit (SSU), formerly known as the Flying Squad.
“Nilivunja hiyo Special Unit sijui nini ya kuua watu. We will change this country for the better,” said Ruto.
Odinga has accused Ruto’s leadership of being egocentric, claiming that they are excluding some opposition voters from service delivery.
He has criticized the government’s recent reduction in fertilizer prices, which he sees as a ploy by the state to steal public funds.
