Outspoken city lawyer Steve Ogolla has defended Deputy President William Ruto against accusations of disrespecting President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The allegations were made by the Kikuyu Council of Elders (KCE) during a meeting at Kabiru-ini grounds in Nyeri County on Friday.
Led by KCE chairman Wachira Kiago, the elders accused the DP of touring Central Kenya without Uhuru's 'invitation and endorsement', and using the visits to 'talk ill of him'.
“It is not right that our leader is defied and insulted as we watch. We converge here today to send a special message to our people. It is not courteous for Ruto to insist on invading our household without invitation and endorsement of the head of the household," said Kiago, as quoted by Sunday Nation.
"President Kenyatta is the head of the Gikuyu household. It is the height of disrespect to come here behind his back and talk ill of him. Insulting our leader is insulting us all. It will not happen as we watch,” added the council's chairman.
But according to Ogolla, the elders were dishonest in their sentiments, noting it was Uhuru who deserve criticism for failing to express confidence in Ruto.
"Let's be honest, the claim that DP Ruto is undermining HE Kenyatta is a shameless fabrication. The reverse could be true. You'd have to struggle to recall the last time the President expressed confidence in his Deputy. Let's play politics, but let's not punctuate it with lies," he tweeted on Sunday.
On his part, the DP has rubbished the claims, accusing people making such allegations of intent to spread tribalism, propaganda and division.