This archive report was first published on 16 August 2019.
Deputy President William Ruto was on the receiving end of a stern warning from Turkana MP Oscar Sudi over the looming referendum during the official opening of the Tabang'loree Cultural Festival in Lodwar, Turkana County, on August 16, 2019.
Speaking in Kiswahili, Sudi told Ruto, 'Kama kuna katiba itakuja your excellency tutaweka urafiki kando, msidharau ile ya Punguza Mizigo kwa sababu ni jamaa kutoka huku Turkana' (If there will be any constitutional change, Your Excellency, we’ll put friendship aside, and please don’t despise the Punguza Mizigo Initiative because it originated from a Turkana resident).
According to Sudi, if Ruto supported an initiative that seeks to increase the number of leaders in the Executive, then he would be on his own.
However, the second in Command tried to avoid the referendum topic in his speech, as he preached peace and cooperation among the people of Kenya.
DP Ruto further urged county leaders to commit to working together and eliminate hate and tribalism.
