Raila backs Uhuru on Ruto to resign if he is not happy.
The former prime minister said it would be an honor to do so for any politician, sending the appeal to Jubilee deputies who have pledged allegiance to UDA.
• Raila quoted his father’s letter as saying: “I cannot justify receiving a public salary irresponsibly. The next generation will look at me bitterly and because of this I am submitting my resignation.”
ODM leader Raila Odinga backed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s call for his deputy William Ruto to step down if he was not satisfied with the current government.
The former prime minister said it would be an honor to do so for any politician, sending the appeal to Jubilee deputies who have pledged allegiance to UDA.
“If you see that things are not going well and you are a man of principle, just say things are not going well and stop,” Raila said, citing a lot of hypocrisy.
“Those MPs who say they are in UDA and still receive a salary from Jubilee should also step down, return to the people and defend the seat and the new party.”
“It’s called political policy, otherwise it’s hypocrisy,” Raila said, adding that this was not the first time Kenya had a vice president.
“My father was the first vice president. He did not wait for dismissal. When he saw that things had changed and that he had not been given any assignment, he wrote a letter.
Raila quoted his father’s letter as saying: “I cannot justify receiving a public salary without accountability. The next generation will look at me with bitterness and because of this I am submitting my resignation.”
He repeated the case where he resigned as Langata MP in order to distance himself from the party-sponsored party relationship at the Goldenberg scandal.
“When I was a Member of Parliament for Langata under Ford Kenya, we saw the Goldenberg problem … I said I could not continue as an MP under Ford Kenya and I resigned.”
“I said I would come back with another party … and I ran for my seat on the NDP ticket and was re-elected.
On Monday, Uhuru said instead of fighting the government from within Ruto should resign and focus on the elections.
“What deserves respect is that if you’re not happy … stay away and let those who want to continue doing it,” Uhuru told Ruto, claiming that there was no way for Ruto tobe in authority andstill run campaigns.
“Moreover you cannot say that I did not give you a second chance yet you do not agree [with the government]… You must decide and have rules in this regard so as not to confuse people who on the one hand want to praise the government and still on the other side of your mouth speak another language.
However, in what clearly marks the final stages of a controversial divorce, Ruto vowed Tuesday that he would not abandon the government he formed with the president.
Speaking at two separate events in Nairobi and Taita Taveta, Ruto said it was unwise for anyone to think he could step down when he played a key role in winning the 2013 and 2017 elections.
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