Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa claims that Deputy President William Ruto and Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i both wanted to slap him.
Wamalwa stated on Saturday during an Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya campaign in Kakamega that in 2018, following a meeting between leaders from the Luhya region and President Kenyatta, DP Ruto was enraged because he was not consulted and demanded a resignation letter from him.
Wamalwa said that the DP wanted to slap him, noting that he would have responded by a jab in retaliation.
“We had a meeting with President Kenyatta in State House, we were there with my brothers from NASA including Musalia, Wetangula, Oparanya. We brought him to this stadium where he chose Oparanya as the chair of the Revival taskforce of the sugar sector,” Wamalwa recounted.
“The DP was very furious asking why I took the Luhya leaders to the president without his consent. He told me to leave his government and deliver a resignation. Karibu nipate slap ya huyo jamaa. Lakini angeteleza iniguze ningempa uppercut moja.”
The former Devolution CS also revealed that the second in command confronted Interior CS Fred Matiang’i after the president gave him additional responsibilities.
“He also wanted to slap Matiang’i. He was so angry with him when we went to Kisumu to unveil the UHC and upon returning to state house, he wanted to slap him. And there are witnesses,” noted Wamalwa.
According to the CS, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate demanded his immediate resignation.
“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 minister said.
He further alleged he has forgiven the DP and prays to God not to allow him to take the country’s top position come August.
“I have forgiven him, and I have prayed to God to also forgive him,” he stated.
His statement came after the release of a leaked audio in which Ruto is heard saying that he nearly slapped President Kenyatta.
Addressing the leaked audio, the DP dismissed the talk as a “figure of speech”, noting that no one can slap the head of state.
On his part, the president on Friday said he could have turned the other cheek for the sake of peace.
According to the president, he could not watch as the country plunged into chaos over power.
“If they had slapped me over power, I would have given them the other cheek to slap. Yes, I wanted to go back to Ichaweri because I couldn’t compare power with bloodshed,” he said.
“These seats we occupy (Presidency) are not more valuable than human life. I had said yes, I will not see more people lose lives because of a seat,” he added.
