President-elect William Ruto’s previous remarks that there was “no room” for homosexuality in Kenyan society haunted him during an interview with CNN.
Christiane Amanpour put Ruto to task on Wednesday, September 7, to explain his stance on the issue, with the outgoing Deputy President stating that it was a non-issue.
“I am very clear that we respect everybody and what they believe in, but we also have what we believe in and we expect to be respected for what we believe in,” Ruto explained.
“We do not want to create a mountain out of a molehill,” he said, adding that he prefers to focus his efforts on unemployment and hunger. “When it becomes a big issue for the people of Kenya, the people of Kenya will make a choice.”
A collage of U.S President Joe Biden and President-elect William Ruto
Courtesy
On his threat to deport Chinese nationals operating in Kenya, Ruto clarified that his administration will only go after foreigners doing business illegally.
“Everybody will do business, everybody will do whatever they want to do so long as they are doing it within the law,” he said.
“Anybody that operates outside the law, it doesn’t matter where they come from, they will be sent back from where they came from.”
Ruto, who will be sworn-in on September 13, rattled the international community, especially the East, when he hinted at kicking out Chinese from the country.
He further told the American media giant that there will be no big shift in his foreign policy.
“I intend to scale up the participation of Kenya in many of the areas, especially in our regional peace initiatives,” stated Ruto.
“I will be available, I will play my part, I will scale up Kenya’s standing and contribution in that space so that together we can contribute to a better, a much more peaceful neighborhood.”
Appearing on the show, he also explained his relationship with the outgoing President, Uhuru Kenyatta, especially after he floored Raila Odinga.
“Unfortunately, President Kenyatta has not seen it fit to congratulate me,” he said. “Maybe he’s a bit disillusioned or maybe he’s unhappy that I defeated his candidate, but that is the nature of politics.”
It took Kenyatta almost three weeks to have a conversation with Ruto, after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission – IEBC declared him President-elect.
A day after the Supreme Court validated Ruto’s victory, the two leaders reportedly had a phone conversation, with the president-elect divulging details.
“I had a telephone conversation with my boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta.”
“We discussed the just concluded General Election and the transition as envisaged by our democratic tradition and practice.”
President-elect, William Ruto holds talks with Qatar ambassador to Kenya, Jabor bin Ali Hussein Al-Hawashlah Al-Dosari in Karen, Nairobi on September 7, 2022.
William Ruto
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