The Office of Deputy President has rubbished claims that the sacking of Sports, Culture and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa is part of a plot to scuttle William Ruto's 2022 presidential bid.
This is after a section of leaders from Western Kenya termed Echesa's dismissal as political, insisting it had nothing to do with the ongoing war on corruption.
Led by the Majority Chief Whip in the National Assembly Benjamin Washiali, the leaders alleged the youthful CS was fired to prevent the DP from making inroads in the populous Western region.
Echesa has been Ruto's point man in the region and it is reported it was the latter, in his capacity as President Uhuru Kenyatta's principal assistant, who recommended the former CS appointment to the Cabinet.
“The sacking of Mr Echesa is not about the fight against corruption by President Kenyatta but a plot targeting Mr Ruto’s 2022 presidential ambitions,” Washiali said on Saturday during a funeral service in Kakamega County.
The remarks, however, were dismissed by the deputy director of communication at the DP’s office Emmanuel Talam who delinked Ruto from the sacking.
"How can the DP be a target when he’s in the forefront with the President fighting corruption?" Talam wondered in an interview with Sunday Nation.
Speaking on Saturday, Echesa said he was holding no grudge with Uhuru since it was his mandate to hire and fire members of his cabinet as he wished.