The Kenya Kwanza team has come in defence of their presidential candidate Deputy President William Ruto who was at the bitter end of the stick when he was snubbed by President Uhuru Kenyatta during the 2022 Madaraka Day celebrations on Wednesday, June 1.

The team who converged at a football match in Kikuyu Constituency on Wednesday, June 1 after being hosted by area MP Kimani Ichungwa hit out at the head of state, calling him out for abusing his authority. 

Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang'ula went in first with his attack stating that President Kenyatta painted Kenya in a negative light to the visiting Sierra Leonian President Julius Maada Bio who actually acknowledged the DP in his remarks.

"A visitor from West Africa knows Kenya has a deputy president yet our president does not know he has a deputy," said the senator.

He further stated that the Head of State was using his power to campaign for the Azimio One Kenya Coalition despite his prior sentiments at the National Prayer Day meeting where he stated that he would hand over the mantle to whoever was chosen as president on the August 9 elections.

"Mr President, you said you are on your way home and I believed you meant what you said. But what I witnessed at Uhuru Gardens was an abuse of authority, a terrible show and a bloat to the integrity and image of our country. You turned a hallowed national day into Azimio campaign tool,"  Wetang’ula added.

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro echoes his sentiments and vowed that denying the DP a chance to address Kenyans in the national event would not deter him from the addressing them as the next president after the polls,

"Today is your last day of undermining DP Ruto. Even if our fifth President has not been given a chance to address the nation today, he will be given a chance to lead all Kenyans on August 9,"  Nyoro declared.

Former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo also chimed in on the topic, reminding the Head of State that nothing last forever and he was on his way out despite his bitterness towards his deputy as he was confident that DP Ruto would be taking over leadership whether President Uhuru liked it or not.

"My friend's Madaraka has ended. The upcoming one is for hustler nation," he stated.

Ruto was however keen with his words, choosing to delve away from the matter and continued to champion his Bottom Up economic agenda, seemingly unbothered by the President's snub. 

"This election is about one thing, the economy. Everything else is a sideshow and distraction. Our competitors have no track record on anything to do with the economy. They are just politicians," the DP stated.