In January 2022, Deputy President William Ruto referred to Central Organization of Trade Union (COTU) boss Francis Atwoli as ‘Mzee wa nyororo.’
This was after the firebrand unionist prophesied that the Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate for the 2022 General Election William Ruto will not be president.
Ruto will be facing off with Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party in about two months’ time.
However, in what appears to be softening his stand on William Ruto’s chances of winning the presidency, Atwoli said revealed what the second in command must do for him to clinch the country’s top seat in the August 9, elections.
In an interview with NTV on Thursday, June 16, Atwoli said that the 2022 presidential election front runner William Ruto must stop insulting him if he wants to succeed in outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He termed Ruto as a good leader who not only lacks good advisers but who also loves chest-thumping, factors that were likely to derail his State House ambitions.
“I would help him. He is a good leader, he is shrewd and what he lacks are good advisers and also chest-thumping. I would advise him correctly on how to become a president and he would become a president. I swear he would become a president. But if he still calls me ‘mzee ya nyororo’ he will still languish in those problems,” Atwoli said.
During his visit to the vote-rich Western region earlier this year, Ruto indirectly insulted the vocal trade unionist for claiming that he will not be announced the fifth president even if he wins in the August 9, 2022, General Election.
Ruto who spoke at Kona Mbaya in Likuyani Constituency, Kakamega County, without mentioning names referred to COTU boss Francis Atwoli as ‘Mzee wa nyororo.’
“Yule mzee wa nyororo alikuwa anasema ati mimi sitafika kwa debe …Sahi wameanza propaganda ingine ati ata huyu deputy president akishinda kura ‘Deep State’ na ‘system’ haiwezi kubali atangazwe kuwa president,” William Ruto said in refference to Francis Atwoli.