Nakuru — Deputy President William Ruto has laughed off the change of security at his residence, saying he has no problem even if they deploy G4S guards.
Ruto said the state’s decision to withdraw General Service Unit (GSU) officers from his Nairobi and Sugoi rural home does not bother him because he is “busy with my 2022 transformational agenda.”
And he warned against politicising the issue saying “Kenya has enough problems and challenges that need solutions than my security”.
GSU officers were replaced with Administration Police officers at Ruto’s residences last week, in a move defended by the Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai who said he still retains close protection from the GSU.
While Ruto’s Chief of Staff Ken Osinde and Spokesman David Mugonyi have protested the move and demanded GSU reinstatement, their boss spoke Sunday at a church in Nakuru where he termed it a “small issue that should not distract us.”
“If they found some more pressing duties for the GSU for Kenyans and decided to replace them with APs, I have no problem and if they also find something for the APs to do in securing Kenyans, I will have no problem if they are taken away and replaced BY G4S,” he said.
However, he noted that the changes should be done carefully to tame possible divisions in the country’s security apparatus.
Ruto said the security theatrics being witnessed were a deliberate plan to distract him from furthering the politics of issues, development programmes and unity of the country.
“But we will not succumb to their ploy. We will not discuss small issues but the transformation of Kenya,” he explained when he attended St. Augustine Catholic Church in Bahati, Nakuru County.
Leaders in his company were Susan Kihika, Kimani Ngunjiri, David Gikaria, George Theuri, Millicent Omanga, Samuel Gachobe, Joseph Tonui, Githua Wamacukuru and Charity Kathambi.
Meanwhile, Dr Ruto has said he will stay put as the Deputy President.
He maintained that he will not run away from “those who have seen hope in the revolutionary bottom-up economic model”.
“We were voted for to confront the challenges facing Kenyans. It will be cowardice of large scale and betrayal to millions of people who voted for us for me to resign”.
Kihika asked the Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai to quit office if he cannot work independently.
“Mr Mutyambai is playing with fire. He cannot be excused from allowing the Force to be manipulated by politicians,” she said.
The Nakuru Senator argued that if anything wrong happened to the Deputy President, then President Uhuru Kenyatta will be held liable.
Theuri asked President Kenyatta to respect the Deputy President if he also wants to be respected “because the President’s office is no different from the Deputy President’s”.
Whatever the situation, the MP added, the conversation will change.