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Ruto pledge to end insecurity, tackle food prices 

Wednesday, July 6th, 2022 04:09 | By
Deputy President William Ruto at Laare Trading Centre, Igembe North, Meru county, yesterday. PD/DORCAS MBATIA
Deputy President William Ruto at Laare Trading Centre, Igembe North, Meru county. PD/DORCAS MBATIA

Deputy President William Ruto yesterday drummed up support for his Kenya Kwanza presidential bid in Isiolo where he pledged to end insecurity in the region. 

 Ruto who addressed a series of rallies in northern Kenya said that should he be elected on August 9, his administration would open up the region he said has been ignored by subsequent regimes.

 “The government will from this week distribute relief food in this region. Hio sio siasa kwa sababu mko na haki kupata chakula kama waKenya wengine,” Ruto  said at Kina accompanied by former National Assembly Leader of Majority Aden Duale.

 The Deputy President took a swipe at Azimio-One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga whom he said is out of touch with pertinent issues affecting ordinary Kenyans. He blamed the skyrocketing of prices of basic commodities to the Handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Odinga which he said derailed the implementation of the Big Four Agenda which was Jubilee government’s key economic pillar. 

 The DP said his administration will put in place strategies to ensure the price of fertilizer is reduced from the current Sh6,000 to Sh2,000 for farmers to be able to produce enough food to boost food security in the country. 

 He claimed allocation of Isiolo County from the National Treasury would have reduced from the current Sh4 billion to Sh2 billion had the proposals in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) sailed through. 

The UDA leader drummed up support for his ‘Bottom up’ economic model noting that it will see Sh200 million allocated to the region to boost small and medium enterprises.

 Ruto renewed the war of words with his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta who he accused of abandoning him at the hour of need.

 “I assisted him (Kenyatta) in 2013 and 2017 and assisted Raila in 2007. Sasa hawataki kunisaidia kwa sababu hatujulikani. Hiyo ndio sababu tunataka kuunda serikali inatambua kila mtu, “ said Ruto. 

 He said a Kenya Kwanza government would ensure that all Kenyans,  irrespective of their status in the society will be enrolled under the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) while those who cannot afford will be catered for by the government. 

 The DP also pledged to institute reforms in the cash transfer fund for the elderly adding the funds will be released monthly to the old citizens even before public servants are paid. Duale decried runaway insecurity in North Eastern and hit out at the Jubilee administration for turning a blind eye in the region but quick to adress insecurity in other regions of the country. 

 He also raised concern over rampant cases of disappearances and extra judicial killings of the youth in the area in the guise of fight against terror.   “People of North Eastern are going through alot of problems.  To be issued with national identity cards, they have to undergo vetting.  This should come to an end when Kenya Kwanza takes over power,”said Duale. 

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro told North Eastern residents that Central Kenya, including president Kenyatta’s Gatundu backyard was solidly behind Ruto and urged the region to support his bid.

 Separately, ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi told ODM leaders to stop interfering with the work of IEBC by giving unnecessary conditions.

 Mudavadi while addressing Kenya Kwanza rallies in his Vihiga county home turf  yesterday said ODM has sensed early defeat and have resorted to giving IEBC conditions. “Our opponents in Azimio have started sensing defeat on August 9 and that is why they have started giving IEBC unnecessary conditions. They should allow IEBC to focus on delivering a free, fair and credible election,” said Mudavadi.

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