Kenya election: William Ruto steps up vote hunt

Deputy President William Ruto is campaigning in earnest less than a month before Kenya's general elections. On Thursday, Ruto took his 'Bottom Up' message to Kiambu, a town near the capital Nairobi.

Addressing a rally there, the head of the Kenya Kwanza coalition said he had no problem with his estranged ally President Uhuru Kenyatta.

"I am not vying against Uhuru (President Kenyatta), and I have no problem with Uhuru, is there anybody here who has a problem with Uhuru?. Uhuru is "going home" because the constitution says he has to go. I am asking him to let me deal with this "riddle man" (Raila Odinga) so that I can face him, an eye for an eye," Ruto amid cheers from supporters. 

Ruto and Kenyatta were running mates in two successful elections. But the pair fell out after Kenyatta's re-election in 2017. 

Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has received Kenyatta's endorsement.

"On the 9th of August, are you going to vote for this person (Raila) who has no development record or are you going to vote for someone with a development record? Let me see by a show of hands who'll vote for the "hustler" (Ruto)," he said. 

The August 9 presidential, legislative and local elections are being held at a time when East Africa's largest economy is facing difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.