Atwoli: Ruto outsmarted us, we slept thinking we’d already won
Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli has admitted that President-elect Dr William Ruto played his cards well in the concluded General Election.
Mr Atwoli said unlike the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition camp that went to bed thinking that they had already won the presidential seat, Dr Ruto played smart.
“We went to sleep knowing that we had won, only to realise that we were doing politics without any skills… William Ruto was politically smart and he outsmarted us,” Mr Atwoli said.
“Sikujua nitarudi hapa kuwaambia mzoee sauti ya Ruto… Sisi tulienda kulala tukijua tumeshinda, kumbe sisi tunafanya siasa ambayo haina ujuzi” – Atwoli pic.twitter.com/o5e6vaSxo1
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) September 9, 2022
In the run up to the polls, the Cotu boss was among political bigwigs in the country who threw their weight behind Mr Raila Odinga who was running against Dr Ruto.
On several occasions during the campaigns, Mr Atwoli said Dr Ruto was not fit to become president and that he stood no chance of clinching the presidency.
Mr Atwoli is also on record for saying that workers in the country were to be in safe hands with Mr Odinga as the president.
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But following the outcome of the election, Mr Atwoli has since softened his stance on the President-elect. He now says Dr Ruto’s election victory is God’s will and plan.
He also asked residents of the western region of Kenya to support the President-elect, since he is also surrounded by the leaders from that region.
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“Our father is now Dr William Ruto, and we must accept that for the country to move on. Dr Ruto also walked with the Luhyas. He is with Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang’ula and Ababu Namwamba. We will accept that,” he said.
Mr Wetang’ula, who successfully defended the Bungoma senatorial seat, was on Thursday elected Speaker of the National Assembly, with Mr Mudavadi and Mr Namwamba primed for key positions when Dr Ruto names his cabinet.
Mr Atwoli also said that workers unions have congratulated the President-elect and expressed optimism that he could make the life of workers better than the current regime of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
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