Deputy President William Ruto took the political centre stage during the funeral service of the late former president Daniel Moi, at Kabarak on Wednesday.
The simple mention of the DP’s name during the tributes session attracted thunderous cheers from the audience at the event, even before he rose from his seat.
This was after KANU secretary general Nick Salat took to the dais to welcome the deputy head of state to deliver his speech, shortly after ODM leader Raila Odinga finished delivering his.
”Before I call the Deputy President,” Salat started off before cheers from the crowd silenced him momentarily.
“In a very special way I want to thank the family, especially the sons and daughters, of President Moi for allowing us to share their father because he was our father too…” – Deputy President William Ruto #TheLastSalute pic.twitter.com/NAl0pa39qo
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 12, 2020
”Hata sijaanza. Si mungojee kidogo nianze (I have not even started….can’t you wait for me to start),” he told the audience lightly.
In his speech, Ruto asserted that in honour of the ex-president, together with other Rift Valley leaders, he would ensure that the peace Moi worked so hard to cultivate in the region would remain.
He thanked the family of the fallen politician for having shared their father with the nation.
Ruto hailed Moi for having revolutionized the education sector in the country, noting that the country has the late leader to thank for the robust economy, which is fuelled by diaspora remittances by educated Kenyans working abroad.
The Jubilee leader also showered praise on Moi for investing heavily in the Kenyan armed forces, who have time and again been called upon for peacekeeping missions around Africa.