Former President Uhuru Kenyatta broke his silence on Friday daring President William Ruto to face him head-on instead of targeting his family and addressing the allegations that he is funding the Azimio anti-government protests in Kenya.
Speaking to the media, he expressed his bewilderment at the accusations, suggesting they might be linked to his association with Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
"I'm I not supposed to talk to my friends? Is that a crime in Kenya today? Maybe you should tell me," Uhuru asserted.
He vehemently denied any involvement in financing the protests and maintained that he has no connection to the issues raised by the Kenyan people.
In response to his successor, President William Ruto's accusations, he challenged Ruto to confront him directly and arrest him if he had broken any laws.
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"I have nothing to hide or fear," he asserted, passionately defending his family, which he claimed was under constant attack.
Uhuru questioned the targeting of his family members, citing recent incidents where security agents raided his son Jomo's home and withdrew security from his mother, Kenya's founding First Lady, Mama Ngina Kenyatta.
"The fact that I am silent does not mean that I am scared. Come for me. What does my mother have to do with anything? What have my children got to do with anything? You know where I am all the time. Come for me," he told journalists outside his son's gate.
The clearly agitated Uhuru expressed his readiness to defend his family at any cost, urging the government to stop the targeted attacks.
He raised concerns about the withdrawal of firearm licenses from his family members and criticized the government's actions, questioning their intentions.
Uhuru also addressed his association with Raila Odinga, stating that it is his democratic right to support and communicate with his friend.
He likened his support for Raila to the late President Daniel Moi's lifelong commitment to KANU and emphasized that he accepted the will of the people, despite not supporting the current government.
"As President, I defended Kenya to the best of my ability. Now as a retired man, I will defend my family to the very end," President Kenyatta declared.
Regarding the allegations of funding Azimio protests, he reiterated his lack of involvement in the events and questioned the rationale behind associating him with the demonstrations.
He challenged the current administration to focus on governance and address the concerns of Kenyans rather than directing attacks at him.
"My support is still with Raila. He is my friend. Is he a terrorist that I can't talk with him?" Uhuru Kenyatta questioned, reiterating his unwavering support for Raila.
The former President defended his right to associate with Raila and expressed his belief in a democratic Kenya, where individuals have the freedom to support the leaders of their choice.
"I thought and believed we lived in a democracy, and that is why I handed over…I may not have supported this government, but I accepted the will of the people," he concluded.
With these statements, former President Uhuru Kenyatta has made his position clear, denying any involvement in funding the protests and defending his right to maintain ties with Raila Odinga, his longtime friend and political ally.
The situation continues to evolve, and the public awaits further developments in the ongoing political landscape of Kenya.