Deputy President William Ruto publicly clashed with Agriculture CS Peter Munya at a burial conducted in President Uhuru Kenyatta's Gatundu, Kiambu County political backyard Tuesday.

Trouble started when Ruto, during his speech, castigated political leaders and residents of Mt Kenya region for allegedly tying down President Kenyatta with regional politics.

Ruto said Kenyatta is the President of the whole of Kenya and that he had campaigned for him more than any other leader.

“The President is the President of the whole country. I plead with you as residents and leaders of Mt Kenya, do not take the president away from us. If you say the president is the leader of this region alone, who will be the leader of the rest of us?” posed Ruto.

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William Ruto. 

However, when Munya stood up to deliver the president’s condolence speech, he castigated the DP for his assertion that area leaders had localised the Head of State.

“We have never claimed the President serves Mt Kenya Region alone. The President is the leader of the whole country. Just the way he conducts development projects in other parts of the country, he also develops Mt Kenya region,” retorted Munya.

Peter Munya at the burial. PHOTO/TWITTER

CS Munya also bashed a section of the mourners who walked out of the event as he read Kenyatta’s speech accusing them of disrespecting the sacrosanctity of the ceremony.

“This is a very solemn ceremony. If you respect others, you will also be respected. If you humble yourself, you will be exalted.

“With a lot of respect to everybody here, including the DP, this is a very solemn occasion where we are giving the last respects to one of our friends. I was sent by the President who has a right to choose whom he assigns whichever function he wishes."

Ruto and Munya were speaking at the funeral service of Thika Town MP Patrick Kimani "Jungle" Wainaina’s mother, Mama Mary Wambui, at St Francis Girls High School in Gatundu North.

Here are the speeches by Ruto and Munya: