This archive report was first published on 12 January 2020.
Deputy President William Ruto's official residence in Mombasa was locked out last week, sparking a mix of reactions from his allies.
According to reports, the palatial house, which was formerly the residence of the Coast Provincial Commissioner, had been renovated and was expected to be occupied by the DP.
However, the DP was taken aback when he was barred from accessing the house and his property was hurriedly removed.
Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, a key ally of the DP, took to Twitter to sympathize with Ruto, saying he was experiencing the usual January blues.
Cheruiyot jokingly promised to bail out the DP once funds are available, saying 'Like every Kawaida Hustler, the DP came back from Christmas to find the landlord had padlocked the gate…Usual January blues, am sure they shall pass.'
On his part, Kikuyu Town MP Kimani Ichung'wa asked the DP to stay strong during this trying time, quoting the Bible.
Ichung'wa said, 'It is written in 2 Corinthians that, “I delight in Weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties”, delight in all these, as it is written.'
Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, however, had a different version of the story, suggesting that the house Ruto was locked out of might have been meant for his deputy in 2022 and Ruto only used it because it was completed early than expected.
