News

Uhuru men rubbish DP’s blueprint

Tuesday, May 4th, 2021 00:00 | By
Former Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri, who has been seeking to be DP William Ruto’s running mate, cautioned leaders from Mt Kenya against approaching 2022 blindly, saying they should first discus the region’s interests.

Eric Wainaina @EWainaina

Mt Kenya lawmakers who support President Uhuru Kenyatta have dismissed an economic blueprint for the region developed by Deputy William Ruto and his allies.

The Kieleweke wing that also backs the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) said Ruto should be the last person to be trusted to advance Mt Kenya’s economic interests, because he has previously demonstrated his disregard for the region’s economic well being.

Nominated MP Maina Kamanda, who has been critical of the DP, yesterday claimed that last year when Senate was debating the third revenue generation formula, Ruto commissioned his allies to vote against it, yet it would have seen the region receive more resources that matches its big population needs.

Kamanda further charged that Ruto is also opposed to BBI, which if passed, will see the region get extra constituencies.

“His hatred for the region was exposed during the revenue sharing formula when he commissioned his troops in the Senate to vote against a proposal that would have given the region more resources.

He is against BBI, which is meant to promote equity in representation resources. How then can he be the one to help?” Kamanda posed.

He told off the Tanga Tanga brigade in Mt Kenya, who over the weekend claimed that the region was firmly behind Ruto’s presidential bid, terming them as failures and self-seekers not mandated to speak on behalf of the community.

“Those less than 20 MPs who met him are self-seekers and modern day home guards out to betray the community.

We have not sanctioned them to speak on our behalf. We mandated Uhuru and we are happy with what he is doing.

And let them not lie that the region is behind DP, you just wait and see, they will all be voted out,” Kamanda said.

Key issues

MPs who met DP in Maasai Mara, led by Mathira’s Rigathi Gachagua, Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu), Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) and Kimani Ngunjiri of Bahati, said they “resolved that Ruto will be the region’s candidate for the 2022 election and that the region is ‘locked’.

“We have listened to the DP and what he has in store for us as a region and unanimously resolved that he will be our presidential candidate next year,” said Rigathi.

Both Gachagua and Ngunjiri said key issue of the meeting was the region’s economic revival where top economists were invited to take members through what the DP has in store, not only for Mt Kenya but for the entire country, saying: “DP brought his economic advisors, led by David Ndii, to explain how he plans to revive the economy if he assumes power.”

But Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu said that though “Ruto and the team have some brilliant ideas on empowerment” it was unfortunate that “they are discussing what they will ‘if’ they get elected into government after this term” yet they were elected to serve in his government.

“Let me re-emphasise. There is no guarantee that Ruto and those they are meeting with will be elected after 2022.

But DP Ruto sits in Cabinet and those he’s discussing with on how to solve the problems they are citing are all elected MPs. Why ask Kenyans to ‘wait’ until post-2022 to deal with their problems?” he asked.

More on News


ADVERTISEMENT

RECOMMENDED STORIES News


ADVERTISEMENT