On Saturday, July 9, Defense Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa alleged that Deputy President William Ruto nearly slapped him in 2018.
The CS recounted that the Kenya Kwanza Alliance presidential flag bearer was not impressed after he led a delegation from Western Kenya to meet with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Wamalwa, who was drumming up support for Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party presidential candidate Raila Odinga, said he could have responded with an uppercut should Ruto have dared slap him.
However, speaking in Kitale and Kaptenden in Tranz Nzoia on Tuesday, July 12, Ruto dismissed Wamalwa’s claims and instead said he helped get where he is in government.
While likening the CS to a woman, the second in command said in his culture, men are not allowed to slap women
“Juzi nimeskia jamaa mwingine nilimpatie kazi ya uwaziri akisema ati mimi nilikuwa nataka kumchapa kofi…Mimi nataka nimwambie huyu jamaa huko kwetu hatuchapi kofi wanawake,” William Ruto said.
Loosely translated to “Recently I heard another person whom I give a ministerial job saying that I wanted to slap him… I want to tell this person that in our community we do not slap women,” he said in an apparent reference to the Eugene Wamalwa..
The 2022 presidential front runner William Ruto further asked the CS to respect him stating that he was the one who picked from the streets and gave him a job.
“Mimi ndiye nilimtoa kwa mtaro nikampea kazi ya waziri (I was the one who took him from the streets and gave him the ministerial job)” Ruto said.
In a quick rejoinder DAP-Kenya party, which is associated with Euegene Wamalwa, said Ruto cannot claim to have appointed the CS in 2015.
While referring o Ruto as Mr corruption, the party in a social media statement claimed Ruto in fact never wanted Eugene Wamalwa to occupy the ministerial docket President Uhuru had appointed him to.
