President, Deputy Deride Each Other Months Before Kenya Election

(Bloomberg) -- Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto lashed out at his boss in a public spat, showing how deep the discord in Uhuru Kenyatta's administration has gone ahead of elections in August.

Ruto, who's running to succeed Kenyatta, posted a tweet about a longstanding impasse in the cabinet of East Africa's largest economy. He tweeted in response to a suggestion that he's been absent from duty, and has become overly critical of the government he is a part of.

President Kenyatta told a rally on Sunday that some leaders were complaining about the high cost of living and inciting the public instead of offering solutions. They should resign, he said. Kenyatta didn't mention Ruto by name in the speech he made on Labor Day, where he announced a 12% increase in minimum wages.

Ruto moments later posted the video of Kenyatta making the remarks on his Twitter account, and said he'd been stripped of his responsibilities “Boss, am available,” he said. “Sadly last cabinet was two years ago.”

The rift between the two men goes back to March 2018, when Kenyatta reconciled with opposition leader Raila Odinga after a bitterly contested election, and is now supporting his presidential bid against Ruto.

Election Violence

The president and his deputy's fallout hadn't been laid as bare in public despite religious leaders asking politicians to mind their rhetoric ahead of the election. That's because the nation has suffered election-related violence in the past, notably when more than 1,100 people died in clashes that followed a disputed vote in 2007.

Kenya's inflation surged more than anticipated in April to 6.5%, stocked by higher food costs and amid the worst drought in decades. The cost of fuel increased even after a government subsidy, while motorists queued for hours at refilling stations as shortages persisted for about three weeks. The Kenyan shilling fell to a record last month.

In saying that he was denied his responsibilities, Ruto was referring to an executive order in which Kenyatta in 2020 assigned the job of coordinating government business to a minister. That effectively trimmed the deputy president's powers and influence.

“Let them carry their own cross for failing Kenyans,” Ruto said in another tweet. “Things are tough and all Kenyans are feeling burdened with the current state of the economy.”

In his speech, Kenyatta said some factors affecting the economy, such as the war in Ukraine and the coronavirus pandemic, are out of his control and that leaders shouldn't mislead the public by blaming him for everything.

Kenyatta's supporters have argued that it was necessary to reallocate responsibilities after they accused Ruto of engaging in early political campaigns. The deputy president is “enjoying public resources yet he's doing nothing for the government,” the Standard newspaper cited the ruling Jubilee Party vice chairman David Murathe as saying on Sunday.

Kenyan law restricts the president from firing his or her deputy as the two are voted into office together.

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