India announces first formal meeting with Taliban

NEW DELHI, India

India’s ambassador to Qatar held talks with a top Taliban leader on Tuesday, the Indian foreign ministry said, the first formal diplomatic engagement since the hardline Islamist group took over Afghanistan.

Ambassador of India to Qatar, Deepak Mittal. 

The envoy, Deepak Mittal, met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the head of the Taliban’s Political Office in Doha, at the request of the Taliban, the foreign ministry said.

India has long had concerns about the Taliban because of the group’s close ties to arch rival Pakistan. The foreign ministry said the two sides discussed the safety of Indians left behind in Afghanistan.

Mittal also conveyed India’s fears that anti-India militants could use Afghanistan’s soil to mount attacks, the foreign ministry said.

“The Taliban representative assured the ambassador that these issues would be positively addressed,” the foreign ministry said.

The talks come days after Stanekzai was quoted in the local press as saying that the Taliban wanted political and economic ties with India.

There was no immediate comment from the Taliban on the talks with the Indians.

India invested more than $3 billion in development work in Afghanistan and had built close ties with the U.S.-backed Kabul government. But with the rapid advance of the Taliban, the Indian government was facing criticism at home for not opening a channel of communication to the militants.

In June, informal contacts were established with Taliban political leaders in Doha, government sources said. The big fear is that militant groups fighting Indian rule in Muslim-majority Kashmir will become emboldened with the victory of the Taliban over foreign forces, one of the sources said.

“Ambassador Mittal raised India’s concern that Afghanistan’s soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner,” the foreign ministry said.

When the Taliban were last in power from 1996-2001, India along with Russia and Iran supported the Northern Alliance that pursued armed resistance against them.

Stanekzai, who Indian officials say received training in an Indian military academy as an Afghan officer in the 1980s, had informally reached out to India last month, asking it not to shut down its embassy, the source said.

Giants enter Africa's race to Qatar

MWANZA, Tanzania

To the delight of football fans across the globe, September sees the return of the qualifying competitions for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

In Africa, this means the start of the second round of the preliminaries, which promises to be intense. Some 40 teams will be battling it out in ten groups, with only the section winners advancing to the third and final round, which will decide which five teams go on to the world finals.

The second round kicks off with a host of exciting matches, including the meeting between Senegal and Togo, a chance for the Lions of Teranga to avenge a famous, decisive defeat to the Sparrowhawks in the qualifiers for Germany 2006. Sadly, for Togo, they will be without Hoffenheim winger Ihlas Bebou for their first two games.

Matchday One also features an exciting all-Arabian match-up between Morocco and Sudan. The Moroccans will be without Hakim Ziyech, who has been left out of the squad by coach Vahid Halilhodzic.

As for the Sudanese, they are on a high thanks in no small part to their French coach, Hubert Velud. As well as steering his team past South Africa and into the CAF Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in a long time, Velud has also taken them to this year’s FIFA Arab Cup.

Algeria entertain Djibouti in their opening match before travelling to Marrakech to take on Burkina Faso. The Stallions will be without the injured duo of Edmond Tapsoba and Bertrand Traore, while Charles Kabore and Alain Traore are both lacking match fitness.

The match gives Burkina Faso a perfect opportunity to gain revenge for their defeat to the Desert Foxes in the qualifiers for Brazil 2014.

Also on the bill is a mouth-watering meeting between Gabon and Egypt. Pharaoh’s coach, Hossam Al Badry has announced that his two Premier League stars; Mohamed Salah and Mohamed Elneny, will miss the opening match against Angola but should be back to face the Gabonese.

All eyes will be on Abidjan on September 6, when Côte d’Ivoire host Cameroon, a game that will go a long way to deciding who goes through from Group D. Les Elephants begin their campaign in Mozambique, while the Indomitable Lions host Malawi.

The two heavyweights clashed memorably in the qualifiers for Germany 2006. Cameroon won in Côte d’Ivoire on that occasion only to then miss an injury-time penalty in a 1-1 draw with Egypt, a result that allowed the Elephants to pip them to a place in the world finals.

“There’s nothing more important in football than qualifying for a World Cup, whether you’re a player or a coach. We’ve got a strong squad with the experience of Russia 2018 behind it, but we’re not ruling out the possibility of switching formations. It just depends on what the opposition does.” Said Hossam Al Badry

He added that Angola have totally changed their style of play with their Portuguese coach. They’re a strong team, with three Premier League players and others who play in France, Portugal and Sweden.

The Togolese coach, Paolo Duarte said that Senegal is twice as strong as them at the moment. They’re the favourites and the best team in Africa right now, because they’ve got a lot of quality players.

“We know there’ll be a lot of pitfalls along the way, but we won’t have any pressure on us in the qualifiers. We’ll be doing all we can to get some good results." He said.

In East Africa, Tanzania will begin their World Cup qualifying campaign with an away game against the Democratic Republic of Congo at Stade TP Mazembe on Thursday.

The Taifa Stars are pooled in Group J alongside Benin and Madagascar and they will strive to make a positive start and reach their first-ever final in Qatar.

The number of African sides that have appeared at the World Cup, between France 1938 and Russia 2018, out of a total of 54 countries on the continent are Egypt, Morocco, Congo DR (formerly Zaire), Tunisia, Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Ghana.

“We are taking over a country whose treasury is empty" - Zambian President

LUSAKA, Zambia

Zambia’s President, Hakainde Hichilema, has said that the country’s treasury is empty causing failure for the country to service its long-standing debt.

The President attributed the empty treasury to heavy consumption and wastage of public resources.

“We are taking over a country whose treasury is empty. The treasury is empty, there is no money” said President Hichilema.

Hichilema said there is urgent need for a progressive budget that will realign management and usage of public resources away from consumption and wastage to revenue generation and investment in social and economic sectors.

The Head of State said this when he swore- in Liuwa Member of Parliament, Situmbeko Musokotwane, as Minister of Finance.

This will be Musokotwane’s second stint as Minister of Finance, having served in the portfolio over ten years ago under former President Rupiah Banda.

President Hichilema said Musokotwane is highly qualified and has vast experience having served in various positions such as Bank of Zambia Deputy Governor, Deputy Secretary to Cabinet for Economic Affairs as well as special economic advisor to late President Levy Mwanawasa.

President Hichilema has since tasked Musokotwane to draw up a progressive budget and find money to ensure that services begin to reach all Zambians especially the youths and vulnerable mothers across the country.

Hichilema said the office of the Minister of Finance is a core office for the realisation of campaign promises and his administration’s agenda of reviving the economy to promote business growth, and creation of jobs and wealth.

The President has therefore, directed the Minister of Finance to address the tendering process in government and ensure it is taken away from Lusaka to benefit all other regions.

Hichilema stressed that his Presidency comes with a new way of doing things to ensure economic growth.

He said his administration remains committed to creating jobs, attaining food security, promoting business growth and education and health service delivery.

“Frivolous expenditure has no room in my administration except for fiscal discipline. There will no longer be large government delegations and government ministers and officials will have to downgrade from business class, “the President explained.

President Hichilema said his administration will adopt and pursue a zero-tolerance to corruption.

He said his government will let institutions mandated to fight corruption to do their professional job and ensure there is no political interference.

President Hichilema expressed delight that local authorities are already collecting revenue from markets and bus stations following the outlawing of cadreism.

He however challenged local authorities to ensure that they start providing the necessary services to their residents such as clean water, cleaning up markets, decent ablution services among others.

The Head of State called for calm and patience as he continues to constitute his Cabinet. He said he was compelled to first appoint the minister of Finance in order for him to look for money and draw up a budget.

“Be patient, we are in no rush, we are organized, and methodical” said President Hichilema.

He assured that people will be appointed in government on merit and their surname will not be a factor.

US troops pull out of Afghanistan, ending 20-year war

KABUL, Afghanistan

The United States has pulled all its troops out of Afghanistan, ending its longest war to cries of shame at home and celebratory gunfire from its victorious Taliban enemies in Kabul.

The last of the American troops overseeing a desperate evacuation effort flew out of Kabul airport on Monday night, completing a withdrawal that has raised deep questions about the United States' status as a superpower.

Taliban fighters quickly swept into the airport and fired weapons into the sky in jubilation, celebrating an astonishing victory for the hard-line Islamist movement two decades after US forces invaded Afghanistan

However, the Taliban will inherit a devastated country despite the United States spending billions to rebuild it, with deep poverty, drought and Islamic State threats among the many challenges.

For the Afghan people, many are terrified of a repeat of the Taliban's initial rule from 1996-2001, which was infamous for their treatment of girls and women, as well as a brutal justice system.

The withdrawal came just before the end of an August 31 deadline set by President Joe Biden to call time on America's longest war -- one that ultimately claimed the lives of more than 2,400 US service members.

The early finish followed a threat from the regional offshoot of the Islamic State group, rivals of the Taliban, which was seeking to attack the US forces at the airport.

Thirteen US troops were among more than 100 people killed when an IS suicide bomber late last week attacked the perimeter of the airport, where desperate Afghans had massed in hope of getting on board an evacuation flight.

More than 123,000 people were evacuated from Kabul aboard the US-led airlift operation, which began just after the Taliban swept into the capital on August 14.

Biden said he would address the nation on Tuesday in Washington, as his critics continued to savage him for his handling of the withdrawal.

"We can't fight endless wars, but the scope & consequence of Biden's failure here is staggering," Republican Senator Rick Scott said.

"President Biden has brought great shame on the American people," added congressman Richard Hudson.

Biden's top diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, was able to offer little more than stern words for the Taliban.

"Any legitimacy and any support will have to be earned," Blinken said, as he announced the United States had suspended its diplomatic presence in Kabul and shifted its operations to Qatar.

In Kabul, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan had "gained full independence" with the US withdrawal.

Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban official, said he was "proud" to witness "these historic moments".

AFP correspondents in the city heard celebratory gunfire from several Taliban checkpoints, as well as the cheers of fighters manning security posts in the Green Zone.

All eyes will now turn to how the Taliban handles its first few days with sole authority over the country, with a sharp focus on whether it will allow other foreigners and Afghans to leave the country.

Blinken said a small number of US citizens remained in the country -- "under 200" but likely closer to just 100 -- and wanted to leave.

Many thousands of other Afghans who had worked with the US-backed government and fear retribution also want to get out.

Western allies have voiced heartbreak in recent days that not all Afghans who wanted to flee could get on the evacuation flights.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution Monday, requiring the Taliban to honour a commitment to let people freely leave Afghanistan in the days ahead, and to grant access to the UN and other aid agencies.

But they did not agree to call for the creation of a "safe zone" in Kabul, as envisaged by French President Emmanual Macron.

Talks are ongoing as to who will now run Kabul airport.

The Taliban have asked Turkey to handle logistics while they maintain control of security, but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not yet accepted that offer.

It was not immediately clear which airlines would agree to fly in and out of Kabul.

The regional Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) group had posed the biggest threat to the withdrawal after it carried out the devastating suicide bombing outside the airport last week.

On Monday, they also claimed to have fired six rockets at the airport. A Taliban       m    official said the attack was intercepted by the airport's missile defence systems.

And in an echo of the tragedies of civilian deaths that plagued the war and cost the United States local support, a US air strike in Kabul targeting a purported IS car bomb on the weekend appeared to have killed children.

The United States said Sunday it had carried out a drone strike against a vehicle threatening the Kabul airport.

Members of one family said they believed a fatal error had been made, and that 10 civilians were killed.

"My brother and his four children were killed. I lost my small daughter... nephews and nieces," Aimal Ahmadi said.

Zambia's new president sacks military and police chiefs

LUSAKA, Zambia

Zambia's newly-elected President Hakainde Hichilema on Sunday appointed new military chiefs and replaced all police commissioners after promising to end the previous regime's heavy-handedness.

Right groups accused Hichilema's predecessor Edgar Lungu of leading a "brutal crackdown" on dissent, with police violence claiming at least five lives since he was officially elected in 2016.

Hichilema, who took office last week, has been arrested over a dozen times during his political career and made restoring freedoms a linchpin of his electoral promises.

In a televised address to the nation, Hichilema on Sunday announced the appointment of new army and airforce chiefs, as well as a new head of the southern African country's defence wing.

"I am relieving all commissioners of police with immediate effect," he added, without providing reasons for the replacements.

He also urged police to conduct thorough checks before detaining suspects, stressing that "no one should be arrested before investigations are concluded".

Hichilema beat his long-term rival Lungu in 12 August polls by a landslide of almost one million votes -- a victory hailed as a democratic milestone for opposition movements in Africa.

During his inauguration speech on Tuesday, he promised to crack down on political "thuggery" and repression, reassuring independent media they would no longer face tear gas or shutdowns.

Optimism reigns in Tanzania despite Danish embassy closure decision

DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA

The Tanzania government yesterday expressed its optimism that Denmark will continue working closely with Tanzania on development issues.

This comes a day after the Danish government disclosed that it will close its embassy in Tanzania in 2024.

A statement from the ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation disclosed that the minister, Liberata Mulamula had expressed concern over the Danish move, especially considering the government’s efforts to revive and strengthen diplomatic relations with friendly countries, including Denmark.

Mulamula also said the government’s priority was to strengthen the business and investment climate in the country as well as improve democracy and the rule of law.

This followed Thursday’s announcement by the Danish government of its intention to close its embassy in Dar es Salaam in 2024, citing the adjustment of its international presence as one of the reasons for this.

The Danish ambassador to Tanzania Mette Norgaard Dissing-Spandet said on Thursday that “Today has been a tough day. Denmark has had a special relationship with Tanzania and Tanzanian people for more than a century. It has been a cooperation in many areas…”

Mulamula said during a video conference session with Flemming Moller Mortensen, Denmark’s minister for development co-operation, that Tanzania was saddened by the new twist by Denmark, but remained optimistic that the two countries will continue working together on various development issues.

“Despite the steps taken by Denmark, it is Tanzania’s hope that the Danish government will continue to work with Tanzania on various development issues including supporting Tanzania’s agenda in the European Union, the United Nations and other international platforms,” she said.

On his part, Mortensen said it was not easy to reach a decision that stemmed from the Danish government’s new priorities in development cooperation as outlined in its new strategy, “The World We Share.”

According to Mortensen, the new strategy calls on Denmark to work more closely with fragile countries in conflict, displacement and irregular migration, especially in the Sahel, Horn of Africa and neighbouring countries which have political problems.

Similarly, he said with Tanzania having reached a milestone in development, Denmark had decided to work closely with those countries that are most in need.

Tanzania was the first African country with which Denmark initiated a development assistance partnership back in 1963.

Denmark to close its embassy in Tanzania

COPENHAGEN, Denmark 

Denmark will close its embassies in Tanzania as it restructures its foreign service in order to deliver on the government’s priorities, it announced Friday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Jeppe Kofod

It will also close its embassy in Argentina, its Consulate General in Chongqing, China and Trade Mission in Barcelona, Spain.

In the statement seen by The EastAfrican, Denmark said the reorganisation will contribute to the implementation of the country’s new strategy for development cooperation.

"This reorganisation is to help us target the efforts we make, both here at home and out in the world, so that we can make the biggest possible difference,” Foreign Affairs Minister Jeppe Kofod said.

"My first priority as Minister of Foreign Affairs is to ensure the security and safety of the Danish people in a world where democracy, human rights, and our values are coming under increasing pressure.”

The government of Denmark will at a later stage present a new foreign and security policy strategy which will include the restructuring of the country’s reorganised relations with other blocks such as the European Union (EU), The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the United Nations (UN), the Arctic and Africa, the statement said.

Tanzania and Denmark have enjoyed outstanding relations over the years. Many politicians, government officials, scientists, businesspeople, religious leaders and civil society actors from respective nations have formed close relations and engaged in constructive and lively discussions.

The East African nation was the first African country with which Denmark initiated a development assistance partnership in 1963 shortly after the Tanzanian mainland, called Tanganyika, became independent.

Germany will offer Africa up to 70 mln COVID-19 vaccine doses

BERLIN, Germany

Germany will make up to 70 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine available to African countries this year, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday, more than doubling a previous pledge to donate 30 million.

"Germany will make available not only 30 million doses of vaccines but it will be as much as 70 million doses,” Merkel told a news conference after a summit with African leaders on the G20’s Compact with Africa initiative.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said African leaders told the summit “it is not fair that Africa has vaccinated only 2% of the their 1.3 billion population and yet the more developed countries in the north have vaccinated up to 60%.”

"All of us in that meeting felt that Africa needs to be given the opportunity and the right to produce vaccines,” he said at the joint news conference with Merkel.

Merkel said she was confident that there could be a “transfer, step by step, of the technology” to allow production of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa.

Ramaphosa thanked Merkel for championing the G20 Compact with Africa.

Launched in 2017 under Germany’s G20 presidency, the Compact promotes private investment in Africa, aiming to ease the poverty which, along with political instability and violence, has encouraged large numbers of Africans to head for Europe.

"She has been a champion of the African continent … and Africa is going to miss her greatly,” Ramaphosa said.

Merkel, in power since 2005, plans to stand down after Germany’s federal election on Sept. 26.

Mali's former interim president and PM released from house arrest

BAMAKO, Mali

Mali's former interim president Bah Ndaw and prime minister Moctar Ouane have been released from house arrest by the authorities who ousted them in May, a committee monitoring the post-coup transition said on Friday.

Their detention by military officers in May marked Mali's second coup since the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita the previous August.

The political upheaval alarmed regional powers and allies such as France, who feared it could delay a promised return to civilian rule via democratic elections scheduled for February 2022.

An international body tracking this political transition has been pushing the current interim authorities to release the two from house arrest.

The committee, which includes representatives of West African regional bloc ECOWAS and the African Union, said in a statement that it welcomed a decision to lift these restrictions.

"The committee reaffirms its support for the process of transition in Mali," it said.

A representative of the Malian authorities did not reply to a request for comment.

US retaliates for the suicide bombing at Kabul airport

WASHINGTON, USA

Acting swiftly on President Joe Biden’s promise to retaliate for the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport, the U.S. military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.

The strike Saturday came amid what the White House called indications that IS planned to strike again as the U.S.-led evacuation from Kabul airport moved into its final days. Biden has set Tuesday as his deadline for completing the exit.

Biden authorized the drone strike and it was ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet publicly announced.

The airstrike was launched from beyond Afghanistan less than 48 hours after the devastating Kabul attack that killed 13 Americans and scores of Afghans with just days left in a final U.S. withdrawal after 20 years of war. U.S. Central Command provided few details; it said it believed its strike killed no civilians.

The speed with which the U.S. military retaliated reflected its close monitoring of IS and years of experience in targeting extremists in remote parts of the world. But it also shows the limits of U.S. power to eliminate extremist threats, which some believe will have more freedom of movement in Afghanistan now that the Taliban is in power.

Central Command said the drone strike was conducted in Nangahar province against an IS member believed to be involved in planning attacks against the United States in Kabul. The strike killed one individual, spokesman Navy Capt. William Urban said.

It wasn’t clear if the targeted individual was involved directly in the Thursday suicide blast outside the gates of the Kabul airport, where crowds of Afghans were desperately trying to get in as part of the ongoing evacuation.

The airstrike came after Biden declared Thursday that perpetrators of the attack would not be able to hide. “We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said. Pentagon leaders told reporters Friday that they were prepared for whatever retaliatory action the president ordered.

"We have options there right now,” said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff.

The president was warned Friday to expect another lethal attack in the closing days of a frantic U.S.-led evacuation. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden’s national security team offered a grim outlook.

"They advised the president and vice president that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul airport,” Psaki said, echoing what the Pentagon has been saying since the bombing Thursday at Kabul airport.

Late Friday, the State Department again urged Americans to stay away from airport gates, including “the New Ministry of Interior gate.”

US to avenge the deaths of 13 U.S. servicemen as Kabul evacuation continue

WASHINGTON, USA

United States President, Joe Biden vowed Thursday to complete the evacuation of American citizens and others from Afghanistan despite the day’s deadly suicide bomb attack at the Kabul airport.

He promised to avenge the deaths of 13 U.S. service members killed in the attack, declaring to the extremists responsible: “We will hunt you down and make you pay.”

Speaking with emotion from the White House, Biden said the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate was to blame for the attacks that killed the Americans and many more Afghan civilians. He said there was no evidence they colluded with the Taliban, who now control the country.

He asked for a moment of silence to honor the service members, bowing his head, and ordered U.S. flags to half-staff across the country.

As for the bombers and gunmen involved, he said, “We have some reason to believe we know who they are ... not certain.” He said he had instructed military commanders to develop plans to strike IS “assets, leadership and facilities.”

Gen. Frank McKenzie, the U.S. Central Command chief, said more attempted attacks were expected.

The IS affiliate in Afghanistan has carried out many attacks on civilian targets in the country in recent years. It is far more radical than the Taliban, who seized power less than two weeks ago. The most heralded American attack on the group came in April 2017 when the U.S. dropped the largest conventional bomb in its arsenal on an IS cave and tunnel complex. The group more recently is believed to have concentrated in urban areas, which could complicate U.S. efforts to target them without harming civilians.

“We will respond with force and precision at our time, at the place of our choosing,” Biden said. “These ISIS terrorists will not win. We will rescue the Americans; we will get our Afghan allies out, and our mission will go on. America will not be intimidated.”

Biden said U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan had told him it is important to complete the evacuation mission. “And we will,” he said. “We will not be deterred by terrorists.”

Indeed, Gen. McKenzie, who is overseeing the evacuation operation from his Florida headquarters, told a Pentagon news conference shortly before Biden spoke, “Let me be clear, while we are saddened by the loss of life, both U.S. and Afghan, we are continuing to execute the mission.” He said there were about 5,000 evacuees on the airfield Thursday awaiting flights.

As many as 1,000 Americans and many more Afghans are still struggling to get out of Kabul. - AP

Kenya's opposition chief backs president's call for DP to resign from government

NAIROBI, Kenya

Kenya’s opposition chief, Raila Odinga (pictured) has backed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s appeal to his deputy William Ruto to resign if he is not satisfied with the current government.

The former Prime Minister and leader of ODM party said it would be the honourable thing for any politician to do, extending the call to Jubilee MPs who have shifted allegiance to UDA.

“If you see things are not okay and you are a principled person, just say things are not okay and resign,” Raila said, citing the lot for hypocrisy.

“These MPs saying, they are in UDA and are still earning salary through Jubilee should also resign, go back to the people and defend seat with a new party.”

“That is called political principle, otherwise this is hypocrisy,” Raila said, adding that it was not the first time Kenya was having a Vice President.

“My father was the first VP. He did not wait to be sacked. When he saw that things had changed and was not being given assignments, he wrote a letter.”

Raila quoted his father’s letter which said, “I cannot justify earning public salary without responsibility. The future generation will look unkindly at me and because of this, I hereby tender resignation.”

He revisited the case where he stepped down as Langata MP to disassociate with the then sponsoring party’s links to the Goldenberg scandal.

“When I was Langata MP under Ford Kenya, we saw the problem of Goldenberg… I said I couldn’t continue being MP under Ford Kenya and resigned.”

“I said I would return with another party …and contested my seat on an NDP ticket and I was re-elected.”

For the first time on Monday, Uhuru bluntly asked Ruto to resign and concentrate on his 2022 election campaigns, instead of fighting the government from within.

“The honourable thing is that if you are not happy… step aside and allow those who want to move on to do so,” Uhuru told Ruto, saying there is no way the DP can have his cake and eat it. 

Uhuru (L) bluntly asked Ruto (R) to resign and concentrate on his 2022 election campaigns, instead of fighting the government from within.

"You can’t on one hand say I am not going and at the same time you don’t agree [with the government] …You must decide and be principled in this respect so that you don’t confuse people that on one hand you want to praise the government and yet on the other side of your mouth you’re talking another language.” 

However, in what clearly marks the last stages of an acrimonious divorce, Ruto on Tuesday vowed he will not quit the government he jointly formed with the President.

Addressing two separate functions in Nairobi and Taita Taveta, Ruto said it is foolhardy for anyone to think that he can resign when he played a key role in winning the polls in both 2013 and 2017.