Ruto teases Suluhu over Raila’s Azimio coalition remark
3 min read
Ruto confesses getting scared after Tanzania President Samia Suluhu mentioned Azimio, Raila's coalition party
Ruto confesses getting scared after Tanzania President Samia Suluhu mentioned Azimio, Raila’s coalition party.
At the Africa Food Summit in Tanzania, President William Ruto made a joke about President Samia Suluhu using the word “Azimio” in her speech.
While speaking to the delegates on Thursday, Ruto said that he became concerned when he thought she was referring to the Kenyan opposition party, which is run by the former prime minister Raila Odinga.
President Ruto made light of his concern, saying that the faction led by Raila was problematic in Kenya following anti-government protests.
Suluhu had made reference to Azimio in Swahili which means aspirations.
“We find problems when our neighbours tell us to speak in Swahili. I heard the speech of President Suluhu and when I was listening, I got to learn new words. I got to learn that there is kuchochea kilimo. In our country, kuchochea (incitement) is mostly done by politicians.” Ruto teased as the delegates laughed.
“I have heard you repeating Azimio and I got a little bit worried because where I come from, Azimio is totally different. They are the opposition party that can cause a lot of trouble. I have got to know that Azimio can also mean good things.”
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Earlier, Suluhu teased Ruto over his Swahili teachings at the Africa Climate Summit that was attended by 20 Heads of State.
The Tanzania President opined that the greetings Ruto taught the over 16,000 delegates were not accurate as per Swahili linguistics – a move that saw CNN journalist Larry Madowo join in the banter to defend Ruto.
“The other day Ruto taught us to say jambo and we responded with jambo but the real thing should be habari za mchana. These Kenyans should be taken through lessons of Kiswahili,” Suluhu stated.
“I must defend my President. Kenya and Tanzania are very close neighbours. As Kenyans speak to them in poor Swahili, they (Tanzanians) respond to us in broken English and we just move on,” he stated.
However, Ruto was quick to rectify Madowo’s statements adding that his Swahili was better than that of the journalist.
“Let me help Larry. My Swahili is better than his. What he meant to say was that you (Tanzanians) speak to us in proper Swahili and we respond in proper English,” Ruto responded to Larry’s defence.
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