The embattled Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa has continued to widen the rift between Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Jumwa was expelled from ODM Party because of her dalliance with Ruto, and the DP cant afford remaining mum.
On Friday, Ruto took to Twitter to express his displeasure over Jumwa’s expulsion that came as a result of the perceived closeness between him and the Malindi MP.
In a tweet understood to be aimed at Orange party leader Raila Odinga, the DP accused him of double speak and hypocrisy in the manner the party handled Jumwa’s matter.
“You who’ve masqueraded as a champion of women, now in your true colours expel a woman elected in her own right after defeating men and blackmail her to kneel and worship you as an “apology.” Crime? associating with elected DP of the GoK you have “handshake” with. Tragically deceitful,” the tweet read.
ODM’s National governing council expelled Jumwa from the party on March 1 for associating with Ruto and pledging to campaign for him in the 2022 polls.
Her Msambweni counterpart Suleiman Dori, with whom they were jointly accused, was spared the axe after apologising to the party.
Raila on Wednesday softened the stance of the party, saying that Jumwa could be accepted back in the party if she apologised, an offer that the Malindi legislator rejected.
The DP’s tweet is likely to harden the stance of Jumwa who had only obtained a stay order against the top party decision.
The tweet chiding the ODM leader adds to the protracted political battle between the two leaders, whose war of words have erupted in the past few weeks.
The slur started with the exposure of the corruption scandals surrounding the construction of Arror and Kimwarer dams in Elgeyo Marakwet county, in which the DPP and the DCI say up to Sh21 billion was looted.
But Ruto and his lieutenants were swift to defend the projects, saying the corruption allegations were “fictitious, fake news, lies, and exaggeration.”
The DP is on record saying only Sh7 billion was the amount in question and as a government, they would account for every shilling.
Raila shot back insisting that Ruto should “keep quiet and let the investigating agencies do their work without politicising the matter.”
“Sh7b is not pocket change! Sio pesa ya kununua mandazi,” Raila said.
The former PM also alleged that the DP’s donation of a Sh4 million car to Kisumu Catholic Bishop Philip Anyolo was rejected on an order by Pope Francis on the grounds that the money was tainted.
What do you think should be done to end the rive between DP Ruto and Raila Odinga?