The Kalenjin Community are not taking lightly claims by Central Organization of Trade Union boss Francis Atwoli that the DP will not be on the presidential ballot in 2022.
On Saturday, Atwoli said in Lamu, “I want to tell you one thing, come 2022, Ruto will not be there.”(“Mimi nataka kuwambia kitu kimoja, jina la William Samoei Ruto haitakuwako.”
“You can take it to the bank for free, na hiyo sio mambo yangu, usijukue kama ni mambo yangu. Haya ni mambo ya mwenyezi Mungu mumba inchi, Mungu aliye ni umba mimi akanileta hapa…,”Atwoli said amid cheers.“When 2022 comes, you won’t see Ruto anywhere. He won’t be the President, Deputy President, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or the rest. Only those standing for justice will have their names featured.”
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said the Kalenjin community had taken Atwoli’s statement seriously and should anything happen to the DP, then Atwoli and his team would have to explain to the community and to Kenyans.
He called on the DCI to investigate Atwoli’s remarks, saying they amount to threatening the DP and said Ruto will not be pushed out of Jubilee by his detractors who want to take over control of the party. He repeated his claim that there may be a wide schemer to kill or harm DP Ruto by those who don’t want him to vie for president.
Sudi said those scheming against the DP within Jubilee should prepare for a titanic battle ahead of 2022.
Kipkelion East MP Joseph Limo said Ruto still remains the best bet to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022.
“It’s God who elects leaders and we want to tell him (Atwoli) that Dr Ruto will be Kenya’s fifth president,” Mumias East MP and Majority Whip in the National Assembly Benjamin Washiali said.
“We should pray for people like Atwoli so that they abandon believing in witchcraft and embrace the word of God. Let’s put them in prayer,” Washiali said.
DP Ruto termed the remarks witch craft, adding that people who shared such sentiments need prayers.
In this country right now, the contest is between two groups; those who believe in God and those who believe in witchcraft. When you hear someone saying that he has been told by witch-doctors that a certain person will be on ballot and the other will not… it tells you a lot about where the country is right now.
“But just pray for such people so that they can seek the kingdom of God first and stop these other things messing up the country, ” said Ruto.
The DP was addressing faithfuls at the Salvation Army Citadel. He was in the company of Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Former Senator Boni Khalwale among other leaders.