Deputy President William Ruto has finally spoken out on events surrounding his remarks in a leaked audio recording, in which he confessed to nearly slapping President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Speaking in Central Imenti, Meru County on Monday, an impenitent Ruto said he was never going to allow then NASA flagbearer Raila Odinga to snatch the presidency from Uhuru.
“Watu wa Azimio wacheni Ujinga. Wanazungusha record ooh Ruto, ooh alikua analazimisha Uhuru Kenyatta awe Rais. Ata mngekua mimi, mngekubali Uhuru atuwache kwa mataa na vile tulikua tumemsukuma?" posed Ruto to the crowd in Imenti.
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The DP insists he campaigned tirelessly for Uhuru in his 2017 re-election effort more than the Head of State himself and argued that he should not be lambasted for his work.
He said, "I used to wake up, hold three campaigns before the President woke up because he was my friend and there is no way I would let Raila take that seat away from him".
He faulted Azimio leaders for playing the audio in which he is recorded saying he contemplated slapping Uhuru after his win was nullified by the Supreme Court in 2017.
"We are the people who woke up early to vote for the President. People of Meru would you want me to allow Uhuru to leave the seat we had given him for Raila?" Ruto posed.
He spoke days after an audio recording leaked in which he is heard saying he almost slapped the President for allegedly insinuating he was considering avoiding a rerun and relinquishing the presidency after his win was nullified by the Chief Justice David Maraga led court.