Deputy President William Ruto has warned politicians led by Cord leader to stay away from military matters.
The DP said that matters dealing with defence of the country should be left to the president who is the commander-in-chief of Kenya’s Defence Forces.
Speaking during a prayer service in Uasin Gishu County, Ruto said military matters should not be politicised.
“Political leaders should not involve themselves in military issues especially on the deployment or recall of our soldiers on peace missions,” Ruto said.
playThe first batch of Kenyan soldiers who arrived in the country after President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive. ( All East Africa)
He defended the President’s decision to withdraw Kenyan troops from South Sudan following a diplomatic tiff with the United Nations (UN) over the sacking of Lt-Gen Johnson Ondieki.
Political mileage
Ruto noted that the Kenya Defence Forces matters rested solely with the Head of State and not political leaders out to seek political mileage.
“Our security officers have put their lives at risk in the line of duty for the sake of the security and we should stop political insinuations on their work,” said Ruto.
Mr Ruto said the presidential decision had been informed by the National Security Council and other experts and that the issue should not be politicised.
playCord leader Raila Odinga (above) said President Uhuru has been making decisions based on anger and emotion to the possible grave damage to Kenya. (Rao.co.ke)
On Friday, Raila said that President Kenyatta had acted unilaterally and out of anger in his decision to withdraw the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) from its UN peace keeping mission in South Sudan (Unmiss).
He termed the action as ill-advised and “cheap” on the part of the government to claim that some people were not happy with an African commander at the helm of the UN
©Alleastafrica and Chafla
