Ruto promises to buy land from absentee landlords to settle squatters
Deputy President William Ruto said yesterday that Kenya Kwanza Alliance will buy land from absentee landlords in the Coast region and settle squatters on them if elected to State House in the August 9 General Election.
Speaking at Vigurungani, Kinango constituency, Ruto said his government will set aside funds to buy land and identify the numbers of squatters in the Coast region to settle them.
“I am very much aware that land is a thorny issue in the Coast region. We have very many squatters and because there is a lot of undeveloped lands, we will buy it from the absentee landlords to settle you,” Ruto said.
He lashed out at his opponent; the Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga, accusing him of giving false land promises to residents of the Coast region. “What has Raila done for the people of Kwale and Coast at large?” he asked.
He added that already Azimio’s agenda is based on changing the Constitution for their own interests instead of fixing the harsh economy affecting local mwananchi.
“”Do you think Raila will assist you? His agenda is mainly focusing on how they will change the Constitution and benefit themselves and not fixing the economy for the mama mboga and bodaboda, in Kenya Kwanza, we want to improve livelihoods of low income earners not changing constitution,” he said.
Ruto’s sentiments were echoed by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi; who recently joined the Kenya Kwanza Alliance claiming that Azimio has no genuine agenda for the coastal residents.
“You all know I was in that camp, those people have no agenda for the Coast region people,”Kingi said.
Kingi laughed off Raila’s nomination of Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho as his would-be Lands Cabinet Secretary saying that the thorny land issue iat the Coast will not be solved by having a Lands minister from the region.
Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua also urged locals to support Ruto’s presidential bid which he said will benefit Kenyans.
“The bottom-up- economic agenda is the best for Kenyans, let us all vote for Ruto so that our harsh economy can be fixed,” Mutua said.
Ruto led Kenya Kwanza meetings and rallies in Taita Taveta and Kwale counties. His week-long campaign tour of the Coast region, comes barely a week after Raila’s whirlwind tour of the region.
The DP assured that his government will tap into the available resources to turn-around the economic fortunes of the region.
“The past style of politics has been about we politicians telling the people what we plan to do for them, but now we will listen to you and then implement what you people consider as priorities. This new approach of politics involves sitting together and agreeing,”
