NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 6 – Former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu has reemerged ending her conspicuous absence in national politics after the Azimio Party’s suffered a shock defeat to UDA.
Ngilu, a sworn critic of President William Ruto, had sustained attacks against the then Deputy President and she angled for a Cabinet slot anticipating Raila Odinga’s victory.
The bitter fallout between Ngilu and Ruto, both of whom joined to form the Jubilee Coalition which propelled President Uhuru Kenyatta to power in 2013 mirrored the post-2017 acrimony between the “Uhuruto” pair once touted as a dynamic duo.
Ngilu went on to join Kenyatta’s Azimio alliance that supported Odinga’s 2022 Campaign after Ruto’s expulsion from the Jubilee Party.
Speaking at an Azimio retreat led by Raila Odinga in Machakos on Thursday, Ngilu appeared to take on Ruto again rekindling her campaign rhetoric when she branded the UDA leader “a thief”.
‘’After they took the oath of office they said they will reduce the cost of flour, and reduce the cost of oil but nothing has happened since then,’’ she said.
Ngilu who has kept off anti-government protests by Azimio challenged the alliance’s young leaders to confront Ruto saying it was their turn to “eat teargas”.
‘’For those saying they consumed teargas the other day, for me I have consumed teargas since 1992. Let the young ones consume teargas for now,’’ Ngilu stated.
Her reemergence comes at a time when Odinga has demanded for national dialogue fashioned as the 2008 National Accord talks mediated by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan that saw President Mwai Kibaki appoint him (Odinga) as Prime Minister.
She supported Odinga’s position amid defiance from Ruto’s side that has accused Odinga of plotting a backdoor entry to government.
‘’We must continue putting a Kenya that is going to be beneficial and a good country for everyone,’’ Ngilu asserted saying discussions must be transparent.
Ruto’s side has insisted on a bi-partisan parliamentary process saying it will not subscribe to an extra-legal undertaking.
