Kenya’s deputy president William Ruto has insisted he is still the ruling party Jubilee deputy party leader at a time he has been heavily linked to United Democratic Movement, UDA.
Speaking on Wednesday, August 25, during the burial ceremony of Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya’s mother Mama Sada Mgalla Nyawa in Kalalani, Kinango constituency, Ruto said he is not a member UDA
“I am not a member of UDA. I, William Ruto, am the deputy party leader of Jubilee. I am a bona fide jubilee Member the same way Dalu (Kinango MP) is in the ODM,” Ruto told mourners.
Ruto and most of his allies have technically left the Jubilee party which sponsored them to their current positions and joined UDA but keep sending mixed signals to avoid the political party’s Act trap.
The Act requires one to resign from the party which sponsored them to either parliament, MCA or gubernatorial post and seek fresh mandate through the new party they want to join, in this case, UDA.
In April, the former Eldoret MP publicly declared that he will use UDA party to contest for the presidency in the event the jubilee party does not grant him a chance to be its presidential flag bearer.
In June, the deputy president confirmed his association with UDA, just days after the Jubilee party announced plans to enter into a pre-election pact with Raila Odinga’s ODM party.
Ruto, who has been technically pushed out of the government he co-formed with his boss has been insisting that he will not form political alliances ahead of the 2022 presidential election.
Yesterday, the former Agriculture Minister maintained the same stance saying he would work with other politicians by forming a single national party- probably UDA.
“We have resolved to join hands with politicians and over 150 legislators across the political divide to have a conversation about this nation,” he said.
The DP further dismissed the impending Jubilee and ODM merger saying it is intended to leave him and his allies partyless.
“They think when they join the parties, we, the hustlers will not have a party. How will even the history of this country be written? These people have ruined Jubilee, which was a national party and they now want us to join tribal parties,” Ruto said.
