President-elect William Ruto says he will call President Kenyatta to discuss the transition process after the Supreme Court upheld his victory in the August 9th presidential election.
Ruto, who spoke at the deputy president’s official residence in Nairobi hours after the apex court delivered its ruling, disclosed that he has not spoken to Kenyatta for months.
The president-elect also said he will have a conversation with Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his team to discuss their role as opposition.
While insisting that they remain friends despite supporting his rival Odinga in the just concluded election, Ruto said his administration will accord Kenyatta his respect once he retires.
“I will shortly be calling President Uhuru Kenyatta… I haven’t talked to him in months… so we can have a conversation on the process of transition… we will remain friends.”
“I will also call Raila Odinga and the Azimio team in order to contextualize how we will work for the people of Kenya. I do not believe in the handshake stories… I believe in an accountable government held to account by the opposition,” Ruto said.
Ruto also took the opportunity to assure Kenyans that under his administration, nobody will be prosecuted for holding a contrary political view, adding that the era of blackmail, threats, and intimidation is over.
“I want our competitors to rest assured that nobody will be prosecuted for holding a contrary political view from ours. We will respect President Uhuru Kenyatta in his retirement, we are honourable people, we are not petty, and he will have his place in the history of Kenya,” Ruto said.
“This marks the end of the politics of deceit, betrayal, and conmanship…The criminal justice system will never again be used against those who hold contrary political views.”
