DP Ruto ally dumps Uhuru, backs Raila in shock move
Flamboyant city lawyer Donald B. Kipkorir has withdrawn his support for President Uhuru Kenyatta and instead vouched for the candidature of Raila Odinga.
The lawyer, a close ally to Deputy President William Ruto, announced the surprise change of heart in a tweet on Friday.
He however declared to switch his support to the Deputy President in the 2022 general elections.
On 8.8.17, I will vote Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga as our 5th President … On 9.8.22, I will vote H. E. William Ruto as our 6th President.
— Donald B Kipkorir (@DonaldBKipkorir) June 23, 2017
The lawyer was one of the most vocal supporters of the Jubilee coalition in the run up to the last general elections and enjoyed close proximity to the powers that be.
But this is not the first time that Donald Kipkorir has fallen out with the Uhuru camp. Last year, he expressed displeasure at social media attacks targeted at Raila Odinga and his supporters by State House Director of Digital Communication Dennis Itumbi.
‘DENIGRATING’
Mr Kipkorir said Mr Itumbi posts were “vilifying, denigrating and delegitimizing Cord and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.”
“Cord have a constitutional right to demonstrate, picket and present petitions every Monday, nay, even every day and night. It isn’t a privilege of any government. When people destroy property, arrest the individuals, but don’t try to demonize a whole people… Collective condemnation ended with Adolf Hitler, Idi Amin and Pol Pot.
“We must support our government to succeed, but treat all Kenyans with outmost respect. To use the name of the government to segregate part of the country through words that demean them isn’t higher calling,” Mr Kipkorir argued.