Make peace with Ruto before you retire, Waiguru urges Uhuru

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to extend a ‘handshake’ to his deputy William Ruto in order to defuse tension in the country.

The governor observed that the ‘cold war’ between the President and his deputy is not good for the country.

“We respect our President and all we are asking him is that he reconciles with Dr Ruto for the sake of peace in the country," she said.

Ms Waiguru urged the head of state to reconcile with Dr Ruto before he (President) retires.

She accused some Jubilee Party politicians of driving a wedge between the President and Dr Ruto for their own selfish political interests. She did not name the politicians whom she said act as advisors of the head of state.

Ms Waiguru claimed the politicians misled the President that Dr Ruto was a bad man.

Defended Ruto

He defended Dr Ruto against claims that he plotted to oust the head of state so as to take over power.

"Some politicians surrounding the President misled him that Ruto wanted to dislodge him from his seat. It was not true. Instead it was ODM leader Raila Odinga who had attempted to take over the government by swearing himself in after he lost the 2017 polls," she said.

 Speaking in Kariti ward, Ndia Constituency when she distributed learning materials for Early Childhood Development Education, Ms Waiguru dismissed the claims against DP Ruto and urged the President to treat them as propaganda and have a handshake with his deputy.

She berated the president’s advisors for “misguiding him” and talking ill of Dr Ruto so as to tarnish his name.

"Some of the politicians surrounding the President hatched plans to soil the Dr Ruto’s name before the President and they succeeded.

"With all due respect and as the governor for Kirinyaga who has been on the ground, all I can advise you our dear president is for you to extend a handshake to your deputy because the love that Kenyans have for Ruto is big," she said.

The county boss said it is possible for the President to extend an olive branch to D Ruto as he did to Odinga.

"Even after Odinga illegally swore himself in, you still had a place in your heart to forgive him and cross ranks with him. If that was possible, it can happen to Dr Ruto who helped you to clinch the presidency," Ms Waiguru said.

Mount Kenya region

She dismissed as propaganda the assertion that the Azimio la Umoja presidential aspirant Raila Odinga is gaining popularity in Mount Kenya region.

She said the vote-rich region is Dr Ruto’s stronghold and told President Kenyatta to stop drumming up support for Mr Odinga so as to ensure a free and fair political contest in the August 9 polls.

Ms Waiguru assured aspirants under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) that party nominations will be free and fair.

“I don't have a line-up and there will be no direct tickets. UDA is democratic and there should be no cause for alarm," she added.

She told her rivals, Kirinyaga Woman Rep Wangui Ngirici and Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, to brace themselves for a tough political duel.

“Some of my rivals have opted for national politics after sensing defeat," she said in reference to Ms Karua who recently joined the Azimio la Umoja coalition and endorsed Mr Odinga as her preferred presidential candidate.