Deputy President William Ruto yesterday said he would rally behind the Jubilee Party’s candidate if he does not get the presidential ticket.
He, at the same time, vowed to continue his charm offensive across the country to mobilise support for his 2022 presidential bid even as he promised to back whoever is picked as party’s candidate for the poll.
“If I will not be the flag bearer, I will support the person who Jubilee Party members choose as their presidential candidate. It is not a must that I be the candidate,” he said insisting that Jubilee was intact despite what he termed as the shenanigans of Team Kieleweke.
This is despite calls from the opposition and some religious leaders for him to abandon early campaigns to pave way for development.
But in an interview on Kameme radio and TV, Ruto wondered why some people were trying to gag him over the 2022 poll, adding that it would be foolhardy to expect him not to lay ground for his campaigns.
“I am a Christian and when we go to church, all of us believe we will go to heaven…we receive sermons, but we don’t know the date or the day, but for elections in 2022, we know the year, we know the date and day, the second Tuesday in August, then why should we not plan?” he posed.
Ruto has been the target of a political movement dubbed Team Kieleweke which has accused him of launching early presidential campaigns at the expense of development.
Paradoxically, the DP issued a warning in January to unnamed individuals whom he accused of mobilising his 2022 presidential campaigns behind his back.
In a statement by his by his secretary of communication David Mugonyi, he told politicians to leave his name out of their shenanigans as he is working to support President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda.
“At no time has the Deputy President approved, canvassed or engaged in any other form of preparation for a presidential or another campaign after the last presidential election,” his statement read in part.
In yesterday’s interview, Ruto confronted the succession politics head-on, arguing “failing to plan is planning to fail”. He said that he is even ready to go home with Uhuru when he completes his term if time comes.
He vehemently dismissed claims of divisions in the ruling party saying they will not allow it to be destroyed by selfish interests.
“Jubilee is strong and we will not allow it to be destroyed by selfish interests of people with no clear agenda about the country,” he said.
“In 2022, Jubilee will sit down as a party and decide who the presidential candidate will be, senator, MP, all the way to MCA. Whoever will be nominated as Jubilee candidate even if it is not me, I will support him.”
Ruto vowed to ensure no Kenyan dies because of politics. “I will have nothing to do with any politics that will cause Kenyans to be in acrimony,” he said noting that political conmanship is the biggest problem bedevilling the country.
Meanwhile, the DP has criticised County Commissioners who have not been attending his functions across the country, revealing that a meeting will be convened to discuss the matter.