President William Ruto has hit back at opposition leaders who attended the launch of Martha Karua’s People’s Liberation Party (PLP) in Meru County, accusing them of using the event to make derogatory remarks against him.

Speaking in Taita Taveta County on Friday, February 28, Ruto criticized the opposition for allegedly shifting the focus of their meeting from discussing their political agenda to attacking his administration.

While taking a swipe at Karua, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka, who were among the attendees of the party launch, Ruto questioned their motive.

President Ruto faulted the opposition leaders for allegedly spending more time criticizing him rather than focusing on the main purpose of their meeting. He urged them to prioritize constructive discussions that address the needs of Kenyans instead of engaging in political attacks.

People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua during a past event.

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Martha Karua

“I saw some people trying to launch a political party yesterday. They spoke for four hours about William Ruto. I just want to ask—was the party being created for Ruto, or is it called the Ruto Party?” Ruto said.

“Their agenda and manifesto are just Ruto. I want to tell them that I did not send them to talk about me. Look for a party, give us a name, and present a manifesto,” he added.

The Head of State also accused the three leaders of allegedly fuelling tribalism instead of addressing the grievances raised by Kenyans and finding meaningful solutions.

According to Ruto, unless the said leaders shifted their focus to more important matters, such as relevant discussions on development, they were bound to fail politically.

"I want to tell them that the price of tribalism has gone down; they should not try to sell tribalism to us. I urge them to focus on meaningful matters, including their plan for Kenyans," the Head of State commented.

Ruto's sentiments come on the back of Gachagua's sentiments at Karua's party launch where he hit out at the president over what he termed as a culture of lies by the Head of State.

Addressing the gathering on Thursday, February 27, Gachagua claimed that Ruto had managed to hoodwink both the elite and other citizens into supporting him, including the clergy, who he alleged had unanimously endorsed Ruto's presidential bid in 2022.

According to the former Deputy President, in a record two years, Ruto had managed to destroy the education and health systems and had made the cost of living unbearable for many Kenyans.

"Ever since I was born, I have never seen a liar like Ruto. This man looks you straight in the eye and lies without hesitation," the former Deputy President alleged.

A photo collage of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua (left) and President William Ruto.

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