This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
On May 22, 2020, a group of MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto made a bold statement, claiming they were willing to put their lives on the line to ensure Ruto's success in his quest for the presidency.
The Tanga Tanga faction of the Jubilee party, led by Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, has been under siege since President Uhuru Kenyatta initiated a house cleaning purge on Ruto's allies.
Barasa and his colleagues have condemned the handshake between President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga, saying it had no good intentions from the start.
“If it would take death, sacking, and intimidation of civil servants who are perceived to be allied to DP William Ruto to get this country back, so be it. We are ready to put our lives on the line like Kenyans who did before us to protect our constitution and struggle our forefathers put in,” Barasa said.
With the bromance between Ruto and President Kenyatta fading away, Ruto has turned to the Mount Kenya region, where he enjoys majority support from elected leaders.
Another ally of Ruto, Senator Kithure Kindiki, is set to be ousted from his position as deputy speaker, with a decision expected on Friday, May 22.
