Ruto promises to end abuse of state power, rules out handshake
President-elect William Ruto. He has promised an open government that he said will end the abuse of the criminal justice system for political reasons.
President-elect William Ruto Monday promised an open government that he said will end the abuse of the criminal justice system for political reasons as he celebrated the Supreme Court judges who unanimously upheld his win.
Dr Ruto, who went against a President Uhuru Kenyatta-led state campaign that backed Azimio la Umoja One Kenya candidate Raila Odinga, promised to end cases of civil servants taking sides in campaigns.
“Democracy is expected to unite people, strengthen their society and improve its institutions and must not become an acrimonious, fearful and desperate enterprise ... We are only competitors, not enemies. We vied to unite and strengthen Kenya, not to divide and weaken it,” Dr Ruto said to Mr Odinga and his other competitors.
The President-elect saluted the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the hustler nation—on whose shoulders he made a first and successful stab at the presidency—calling them heroes of the polls.
“The hero of our campaign is mama mboga and boda bodas. The hero of the election is Mr Wafula Chebukati and the IEBC. The hero of our democracy, the rule of law and constitutionalism is our Judiciary,” he said.
On his own win, he said: “My election confirms that it is possible to rise above your background, economic status and social standing to the highest possible point, including leadership of this great country.”
While he celebrated Mr Odinga—and other presidential candidates Prof George Wajackoyah and David Waihiga Mwaure—Dr Ruto, however, ruled out a handshake with the Azimio leader, insisting that he should remain in the opposition to check his government.
“We will have an opposition in Kenya ... I believe in an accountable government held to account by a responsible opposition. That is how Kenya is going to move forward,” said Dr Ruto.
He, however, defended his move to win over various Azimio leaders. “We have many people who were forced, blackmailed, threatened into belonging in Azimio,” he said. “Now that we are breathing fresh air and freedom has arrived, they can now make their choices.”
And to confirm the extent of the broken relationship between him and President Kenyatta, Dr Ruto said he had not spoken to his boss “in months”.
