President William Ruto on Sunday, March 19, reiterated his claim that Azimio leader Raila Odinga took part in the failed 1982 coup.
Addressing a thanksgiving rally in Nandi County on Sunday, March 19, the Head of State stated the was not scared of Raila’s call for mass action, even though, he was ready to hold talks should Azimio change its approach.
“We know Raila so well, and he has never changed. He started pushing for mass action several years ago.
“He started planning for a coup against a legitimate government, and failed before resorting to mass action,” Ruto claimed.
President William Ruto (Right) and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua (Left) share a greeting in Nandi County Prayer Meeting on Sunday, March 19, 2023.
Kenyans.co.ke Ruto claimed that Odinga was after arm-twisting him to get a piece of the national cake as he had done before.
“He has a track record of using extra-constitutional means to seek leadership positions in the country.
“His strategies include attempting to stage a coup against a government that has been elected by the people and mass action that lead to the destruction of lives and property,” Ruto stated.
Ruto further claimed that Raila had for many years subjected the people of Nyanza to servitude, almost to the point of making them slaves.
Dr Ruto warned that Raila was making plans to ensure that chaos was widespread, and not only in his Nyanzs backyard.
“He rules over the people of Nyanza with an iron fist of threats and fear, almost to the point of converting them into his personal slaves,” Ruto claimed.
The Head of State assured Kenyans that their lives and property will be protected in accordance with the laws of the land.
Speaking in Nakuru County on Thursday, March 16, Raila noted that the President had been constantly tarnishing his name with allegations of the attempted coup in 1982 during the late President Daniel Moi’s era.
According to Raila, no evidence adduced before the court at the time implicated him in the planning or execution of the 1982 failed coup.
Raila explained that he was charged with treason and detained for six months but he was later released and the court cleared his name for lack of evidence.
“I was discharged from treason charges after the courts found out that there was no evidence linking me to the 1982 attempted coup. Ruto has spoiled my name and I am going to sue him for defamation,” Raila clarified.
The Azimio leader warned that he would be moving to court to sue President William Ruto for injuring his reputation with the defamatory remarks.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader further declared that he would not be cowed by the State to back down from the planned protest.
“We cannot be intimidated by William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua. I want to tell them that I fought for the second liberation in this country.
The two cannot understand what I have gone through…I have been fighting for democracy and was put in detention for eight years when some of them were still breastfeeding,” he stated.
President William Ruto (Centre) leading a group of State official for a Prayer Meeting in Nandi County on Sunday, March 19, 2023.
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