Uhuru Told Me He Won't Support Ruto in 2022, Waiguru Says

President Kenyatta confided in me that he will not support Deputy President William Ruto in 2022, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has said.

Waiguru, who spoke on Thursday during a BBI validation meeting at Maya Hotel in Sagana, Kirinyaga County, said Kenyatta told her he had withdrawn his support for Ruto’s presidential bid because he was undermining and defying him. 

“Ever since the deputy president launched early presidential campaigns after the 2017 general election, the president told me that he felt undermined. The directive he issued to Ruto to stop early campaigns, fell on deaf ears,” said Waiguru, who spoke in Kikuyu.

She further accused DP Ruto of hiring a section of Mt Kenya leaders to conduct an anti-Uhuru campaign in the region.

“Every weekend, we see MPs from Mt Kenya traversing the Central Kenya counties trying to discredit the president; they want to make him lose popularity on the ground.”

“This, and other deeds by the DP and his team, have made President Kenyatta renege on the promise he had made in the lead-up to 2017 general election that he (Uhuru) will complete his 10-year term and hand over the leadership baton to Ruto to also steer the country for a decade. The president recently told some of his close friends that he won’t honor that pledge because Ruto has openly disregarded him,” added Waiguru.

At the same time, Waiguru said she was ready to back ODM leader Raila Odinga as Kenyatta’s successor, saying that he has demonstrated that he has the interest of Kenyans at heart.

“Odinga, through the handshake initiative, joined the president in uniting the nation. And, because he (Odinga) has shown that he has the interest of Kenyans at heart, I wouldn’t mind his presidency,” said Waiguru.