Editor's Review

Chaos marred DP Ruto’s rally at Jacaranda in Embakasi East constituency, Nairobi on Sunday forcing police to lob teargas canisters to disperse the rowdy youth. 

ODM leader Raila Odinga has hit back at Deputy President William Ruto after the latter accused the former premier of sponsoring goons to disrupt his Jacaranda rally on Sunday, January 16, 2022. 

Chaos marred DP Ruto’s rally at Jacaranda in Embakasi East constituency, Nairobi on Sunday forcing police to lob teargas canisters to disperse the rowdy youth. 

While addressing residents at Embakasi East, an agitated DP Ruto accused Odinga of planning violence to disrupt his rally. 

“Bwana kitendawili the master of violence, you have planned violence for us in Kondele, here in Embakasi East and we know your signature.”

“This violence you have organized in this republic and want to use it as a means to get to public office, you will not succeed,” an agitated DP said.

{File image of Raila Odinga in Thika}

In a rejoinder, through his spokesperson Dennis Onyango, Odinga accused DP Ruto of sponsoring violence to ignite war in the Rift valley. 

“It is not beyond Ruto to sponsor the disruption of his own rally so that he can find an excuse to remove madoadoa in the Rift Valley and, if need be, start a war in the Rift Valley. Violence has been part and parcel of Ruto’s brand of politics right from the time he introduced himself to the country through YK92 through 1997 to 2008," Odinga said in the statement. 

He added, "It also ought to be understood that the youths were being paid to attend the Jacaranda rally today. Either Ruto ran out of money or the people he trusted with the money did not pay all the youths."