DP Ruto makes a u-turn, backs constitutional reforms

By Samuel Ouma

Ruto

The Deputy President William Ruto has abruptly stopped his hard stance against the constitution amendments and throws his weight behind the proposal saying he is after ameliorating Kenyans lives and not to burden them.

Addressing the residents of Tharaka Nithi , eastern part of the country, on Saturday, October 6, Ruto divulged that he is not afraid of the referendum claiming he opposed it because he was busy implementing the government’s Big Four agenda.

“We do not have a problem with referendum. Those campaigning for it should bring it on. We have been against these noises because some of us are very busy implementing development projects we promised to electorates,” He reiterated.

Ruto castigated the opposition leader Raila Odinga for using peace deal between him and President Kenyatta to pursue divisive agenda. He added that the handshake was meant to unite Kenyans and not to divide them.

Raila is advocating for the introduction of a three tier system which consists of the National Government, 14 regional blocks and 47 counties, a proposal that has been quashed by Ruto and his lieutenants, accusing him of wanting to create more posts for him and his allies.

“If we believe the handshake is meant to unite Kenya then let us not drag in the referendum issue and use it as a dividing factor. We don’t want people to try to use referendum to divide people at all,” Ruto added.

The deputy president’s remarks came just two days after Raila said that call of a plebiscite is inevitable. Speaking in South Nyanza (western part of the country) on Thursday, October 4, the ODM party leader and his bigwigs taunted Ruto saying he is afraid of the constitutional review.

“The push for referendum is real and inevitable. Those working to scuttle the process are living in denial. It is like the croaking of a frog that will not stop cow from drinking water,” said the former Prime Minister.

The church and a number of leaders are drumming support for the supreme law amendments.