Deputy President William Ruto has opened up on serious divisions reportedly wrecking Jubilee party from inside amid handshake politics.
On Friday, a section of his allies led by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei had threatened to boycott Jubilee retreat should Ruto and President Uhuru Kenyatta fail to turn up.
"There is no retreat we shall attend if the president of his DP have not summoned it," he said, even as party Vice Chairman David Murathe confirmed a retreat scheduled early September.
While Ruto's allies have accused a section of unnamed individuals in Presidency of working to sabotage his 2022 bids, MPs allied to Uhuru have openly accused the DP of leading early campaigns.
But at Aidai on Sunday, Ruto downplayed divisions in Jubilee, instead accused external forces of spreading 'fake news'.
“Jubilee is the strongest party ever, with a firm and strong foundation because its owners are people who are tired of politics based on tribal backgrounds and committed to the initiation of projects like water, electricity, roads, health, education among others, which can improve the lives of Kenyans,” he said.
The DP added: "Those criticising and undermining our development agenda are the same people who benefited from tribal politics in the past. This is why they are engaging in all manner of rhetoric, including predicting that our party is headed for division."
Besides a section of Mt. Kenya team that has been accusing Ruto albeit indirectly of Sabotaging Uhuru's Big Four agenda, his Rift Valley stronghold has not been easy to him either.
Outspoken Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter and his Moiben counterpart Silas Tiren, have been leading a rebellion at Ruto's backyard.
In his rallies, Ruto has been blaming a surprise handshake between Uhuru and Raila Odinga of allegedly being a wider scheme to block his ascendancy to power.