This archive report was first published on 30 August 2021.
Deputy President William Ruto has dismissed calls to quit the government, saying it would be an act of cowardice and betrayal of those who elected him.
The rift between Ruto and President Uhuru Kenyatta continues to widen, with Kenyatta urging him to resign instead of criticizing the government from within.
On Sunday, Ruto addressed congregants at a church in Nakuru, where he said he would stay put despite frustrations from State actors.
"It will be so embarrassing and cowardice of me to quit government due to political frustrations yet I was elected to solve problems facing Kenyans. It will be an act of betrayal yet millions of people voted for me," he said.
He also downplayed the recent withdrawal of the elite General Service Unit from his official residences, saying it was a non-issue.
"The GSU debate is a nonissue, I have no problem if the AP guard my residence. If there is a job requiring GSU to provide security for Kenyans, then the AP can work with me," he said.
His spokesperson David Mugonyi and Chief of Staff Ken Masinde have, however, not taken the security changes lightly, with Masinde linking the withdrawal to a sinister motive to immobilize Ruto ahead of 2022 polls.
