Kenya's president has asked his deputy to step down.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged his deputy William Ruto to resign, as their acrimonious feud deepens ahead of August's general elections.

Mr. Kenyatta accused Mr. Ruto of not doing enough to help the country deal with its economic woes and told him he shouldn't criticize the administration from the inside.

However, the deputy president stated in a tweet that the cabinet had not met in over two years and that he was only a phone call away from President Kenyatta.

The president cannot fire his deputy; he can only be removed from office if he is impeached or becomes disabled.

As the country grieved the passing of former President Mwai Kibaki, the contrasts between President Kenyatta and his deputy were exposed.

President Kenyatta refused to shake Mr. Ruto's hand at the official funeral on Friday.

The general elections in August are to blame for a lot of the fallout.

Mr. Ruto wants to run for president, but Mr. Kenyatta has backed Raila Odinga, the opposition leader.

In the run-up to the elections, the economy has been a key topic. Kenya is currently experiencing unprecedented levels of inflation, with prices of staples such as cooking oil and fuel rising.