This archive report was first published on 19 October 2019.
On Friday, 18 October 2019, Deputy President William Ruto fired back at President Uhuru Kenyatta's comments on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), leaving no doubt that the two leaders are on different pages.
The BBI was born out of a deal between President Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, which has been met with opposition from DP Ruto and his allies.
DP Ruto took to social media to declare that the BBI proposals would have to undergo another round of validation by Kenyans, just a day after President Kenyatta spoke out against its critics.
"As a democratic society, the proposals by BBI will be subjected to an open national conversation where every voice (the weak/strong, the small/big) will be heard," tweeted DP Ruto.
President Kenyatta had earlier responded to critics of the BBI, calling their claims "petty" and "inconsequential." He maintained that the BBI was not meant to extend his stay in office and promised to leave politics once his term expires in 2022.
DP Ruto's response has sparked a heated debate within Jubilee, with the President and his deputy reading from different scripts. The two have been at odds over the BBI, with DP Ruto's allies forming rival political outfits to drum up support for his 2022 candidature.
