NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 1- Deputy President William Ruto, who is seeking to succeed his boss in next week’s election, has welcomed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s assurance to hand over power peacefully to whoever wins.
Speaking in Eldoret Uasin Gishu County on Monday, Ruto who is vying under his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, said it is democratic for a retiring president to accept the will of the people, hand over power and retire honorably.
“He (Kenyatta) had earlier said that he will never hand over to Ruto, but I see he has warmed up to the idea that anyone can succeed him. He said he will hand over to whoever will be chosen by Kenyans. That is a great move. Now that’s a good and a democratic position,” he said.
Ruto however wondered why President Kenyatta decided to endorse his former political nemesis and Azimio La Umoja Presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga and not one of those who supported him in 2013 and 2017.
“President Kenyatta has advised people to vote for our competitors but honesty we cannot allow him (Raila Odinga) to be our president. President Kenyatta is our friend but on this one, he is very wrong. Even if he did not want me to succeed him, he should have supported one of the 10 million people who supported him when he needed us,” DP Ruto said.
