Ruto asks opponents to get rid of ‘tribal parties’
Deputy President William Ruto yesterday took his presidential campaigns to Nyamira county where he termed his political competitors as tribalists who were riding on their communities to ascend to power.
He criticised unity being mooted by the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) members saying it was not going anywhere as they had nothing new to offer to Kenyans.
Addressing residents at Chepilat, Kijauri, Keroka and Rigoma market centres, Ruto challenged OKA leaders to dissolve what he termed as their tribal political outfits and form one political party such as UDA if they were serious in uniting Kenyans.
“These fellows have each a political party which is tribal-based. Let them form one political party and we in UDA are ready to face them,” he told a cheering crowd at Keroka and Rigoma market centres.
“Raila is a spent force who cannot offer Kenyans any leadership at his age which is now over 80 years,” he said.
He tore into his competitors saying they cannot match with him when it comes to development matters and challenged them to tell Kenyans what they have done to Kenyans to warrant them the presidential position.
“Raila has been the Prime Minister of Kenya, Kalonzo Musyoka (Vice President) and Musalia Mudavadi (Deputy Prime minister and vice –president) “ but all these characters have no development track record and yet they seriously want to be president.”
Imposed leaders
He said those seeking presidency were only out to serve their own interests but not issues which were affecting the ordinary people.
The DP assured Kenyans that if he wins the presidency next year, his first agenda would be to address challenges facing the low income earners who include mama mbogas, boda boda riders and those operating small businesses and jobless youth.
He also asked Kenyans not to allow some political leaders to impose leaders on them in the coming General Election saying that Kenya belongs to all of us but not a few people who want to change the constitution so that they can create positions for themselves and their friends.
Ruto also promised farmers that if elected, his government would set a side Sh50 billion geared at improving their economy.
The Deputy President hit out at OKA leaders for spending much of their time criticising his bottom up model terming them as short sighted people who have no development agenda.
Ruto also blamed Raila for the slow pace of development in the country because of introducing reggae politics whose agenda was to change the constitution because of selfish political ambitions.
He predicted that his competitors could be defeated the same way the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and the reggae debate was defeated.
At Riyabe Secondary School, he presented a school bus where he also announced that the government has set aside Sh8 billion to upgrade infrastructure in schools.
Personal views
MPs Joash Nyamoko (North Mugirango), Vincent Kemosi (West Mugirango), Shadrak Mose (Kitutu Masaba), Silvanus Osoro (South Mugirango) and other leaders namely Charles Ongoto, Nyambega Mose, Walter Nyambati, Joseph Kiangoi and Josphine Omanwa assured Ruto that the Kisii community would fully support his top seat bid.
Osoro faulted Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i for endorsing Raila for the top seat saying those were his personal views but not the community.
“When Simeon Nyachae contested for presidency in 2002, Raila ditched his bid to support retired President Mwai Kibaki.How does he expect us to support him when he refused to support Nyachae? Osoro posed.
He hit out at Matiang’i saying that he has no authority to give the Gusii community the political direction they should take.
Nyamoko said the only political space is that one of Ruto for the seat of presidency.
He told president Uhuru Kenyatta to retire honourably and stop imposing unpopular leaders on them.
