William Ruto Answers Edwin Sifuna after Constant Criticism: "Enda Pole Pole"
- Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna has sustained criticism of President William Ruto's administration ever since it was installed
- Ruto shared a platform with Sifuna at a funeral in Siaya, in which he asked the senator to loosen a bit in his attacks
- The president told Sifuna that he was once in the ODM party, jokingly threatening to lead efforts to rob him of his secretary general post
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President William Ruto has asked outspoken ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna to tone down his criticism of the government.
Source: Twitter
The two shared a platform in Siaya county where they attended the send-off of ODM leader Raila Odinga's deceased bodyguard George Oduor.
How Ruto answered Edwin Sifuna
While speaking, Sifuna put the president on the spot for allowing his juniors to jeopardise his administration.
He said that Ruto was to blame for his regime's shortcomings which have made it unpopular among Kenyans.
Sifuna referenced the recent events in Nakuru where the Butere Girls High School drama club was roughed up by the state police over their "Echoes of War" play.
“Your work is hard, but some of these problems you have caused them yourself. There are people in your government whose job is to get handballs every other time. They are making your work difficult, read them the riot act," Sifuna counselled Ruto.
But when his time to address the mourners came, Ruto seemed to wish away Sifuna's concerns.
He asked him to go slow, suggesting that he was still young in politics; the president told Sifuna that he was once an ODM member and therefore the senator was not qualified to lecture him on the politics of governance.
Ruto, in jest, cautioned Sifuna that he (Ruto) would trigger his ejection from the top brass of the ODM party if he was not careful in his criticism of the government.
"Sifuna is speaking with a lot of energy. When you speak about me, Edwin Sifuna, know that I am a founding member of ODM. If you push me too far, I will call for a meeting of the founding members, and if we do, we can discipline you," the president said.
At the same time, Ruto praised Raila for his significant role in stabilising the current administration amidst a fierce Gen Z uprising.
How Raila helped me - Ruto
The president commended the ODM leader for his selflessness in helping steer the country away from a crisis fuelled by the younger generation.
Source: Getty Images
Ruto acknowledged that Raila's support came at a critical moment and was unexpected, given their history of intense political rivalry.
The president's administration faced a major challenge in June 2024, when youth-led protests erupted in response to the proposed Finance Bill 2024, which was packed with taxes that would burden an already struggling public.
The demonstrations became a regular occurrence in major cities, forcing Ruto to cancel international trips to address the unrest.
The situation escalated when protesters breached the legislature, defying heavy police presence to enter the highly secured parliament.
In response to the turmoil, Ruto withdrew the Finance Bill 2024 and instead ordered austerity measures to recover the funds the government had hoped to generate through the bill's provisions.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
