This archive report was first published on 2 July 2019.
On Monday, Deputy President William Ruto spoke at a women’s empowerment forum in Nyamira County, where he launched a scathing attack on Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.
Ruto accused Odinga of demonizing every government project, saying he had opposed the Eurobond, the Northern Collector Tunnel, and the Standard Gauge Railway, all because he claimed they were corrupt.
“You were against the Eurobond, because you said it was corrupt; you were against the Northern Collector Tunnel, because you said it was corrupt; you were against us building the Standard Gauge Railway, you told us it was corrupt,” Ruto said.
He added that Odinga was also against raising money in churches and any Harambee events, even for women, because he claimed they were corrupt.
“…you were against raising money in churches because you said it was corrupt; you are against any Harambee even for women, because you say it is corrupt; but it is because you’re the lord of poverty and you want poverty in our country,” Ruto said.
He vowed that his administration would work night and day to eliminate poverty in the nation, so that Odinga’s “kingdom of poverty” would have no place in Kenya.
However, ODM quickly responded to Ruto’s attack, terming it a desperate attempt to divert attention from the alleged assassination plot against Raila Odinga.
ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna said Ruto had realized that the fake assassination claim had failed to generate the sympathy he desperately needed.
ODM also accused Ruto of being the real lord of poverty, citing his alleged role in crippling Kenyans by making them dependent on handouts.
“Deliberate, delivery of fake fertilizer that ruined millions of livelihoods can be traced to his allies and himself. Destroying agriculture is the highest bid a rotten wheeler-dealer that he is can make in a permanent move to leave many not only poor and desperate but hopeless,” ODM’s statement read.
ODM also challenged Ruto to break down how the Eurobond was spent, the cost of the SGR, and the debt attached to it, as well as how the dams money was lost.
