Back to hustlers for support: President Ruto’s 25 stops amid Raila demos
President William Ruto (second left) during the launch of the Murang'a County School feeding Programme at Kangaru ECDE Centre in Kigumo on July 21, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Hardly a year into office, President Ruto and his deputy Gachagua have revisited whistle-stop tours reminiscent of campaign meetings as the Kenya Kwanza leaders push back against opposition narrative of public discontent.
President William Ruto says he will not relent in his fight against opposition-led anti-government protests, dismissing Azimio coalition’s move as pursuit of selfish interests.
He stepped up his countrywide tours in campaign-like mode, addressing as many as seven events in a day.
The messaging during the whistle-stop tours, riding on the launch of development projects, is apparently intended to disavow the narrative by critics that his administration is losing public support because of unpopular policies like the new taxes blocked by the courts and runaway cost of living that the opposition has capitalised on during mass action.
On Friday, the President kept to a strategy that has seen him venture out on days the opposition protests are scheduled. The anti-government demonstrations began in March. Dr Ruto has been rallying support, particularly in Kenya Kwanza strongholds, in a counter-attack.
In the days Raila Odinga’s Azimio has held protests, Dr Ruto has had close to 25 public engagements locally and internationally, a Saturday Nation analysis shows.
The Nation established that the strategies in use by the President and other Kenya Kwanza leaders were agreed on last Saturday during a meeting at State House that resolved to counter the protests, which saw, for the first time this week, ruling coalition leaders stage parallel pro-government demonstrations.
Power grab
And just like his messaging in previous stops, Dr Ruto yesterday stressed that the unrest is being fomented by his rivals whom he beat in last year’s presidential election to advance a power grab. He said his government needs time to fix the country, adding that he is committed to implementing his plan for ‘hustlers’.
Speaking in Murang’a, he said he would not allow impunity to creep in, saying he will continue to push for politicians to respect institutional processes and solve their disputes within the law. “I will not relent on this...I will sit on them pretty tight and will not let go. It is a task that must be accomplished.
There will be no more street protests in this country,” he said. “Nothing personal...I am just helping our protesting friends to conform to constitutionalism. My message to them is that we will not tolerate lawbreakers.” He said his government will go full throttle in implementing an agenda that will ensure politicians do not resort to anarchy to achieve their goals.
He toured Kigumo and Kiharu, where he visited Mugoiri and Murang'a high schools, opened Ikumbi/ Kinyona road, among others built by the county government. Appearing to delve into the controversy of security agents being taken to task for the killing of protesters, the President said: "We are going to rid the country of cases of extrajudicial killings, yes, but politicians must also end resorting to impunity
Police backed
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had earlier said that all those who encountered police force in the streets had themselves to blame. “Police will not kiss you if you are found engaging in violence. Those who got aggrieved by police should blame themselves for inviting them into the streets,"
Mr Gachagua had said. “If you had not invited them, they would not have left the police lines. And our police officers are free anytime for such invitations and engagements.”
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro applauded Dr Ruto as "one who has shown us that he is not a pushover by neutering the protests”. “We have managed to disperse the Azimio bigwigs. [Former President] Uhuru Kenyatta is abroad, Odinga is on forced holiday, while [Wiper leader] Kalonzo Musyoka is under self-imposed house arrest...
Those others are feeling the heat. It is just a friendly blow, let them dare," said Mr Nyoro. The legislator urged the taskforce looking into the welfare of police officers to hurry and table its recommendations "so that we can appreciate them by promoting and increasing their salaries".
Rights not absolute
Maragua MP Mary wa Maua said “those who ride on anarchy lose the protection of the Bill of Rights.” National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung'wa and his Senate counterpart Aaron Cheruiyot said police service is blameless and were also victimised in the running battles. “Go and visit the hospitals where these officers are hospitalised, many with life-threatening injuries.
It is important for us to appreciate them even when it appears stylish to vilify them," Mr Cheruiyot said. But for Dr Ruto, the trip to Murang’a yesterday—following the trips to Kericho and Narok on Wednesday, and Isiolo and Meru on Thursday; and to be followed by Nyamira and Vihiga tomorrow—just goes to show his pushback bid against Mr Odinga’s messaging in the protests.
The multi-pronged management of politics has been favouring launch of development projects, addressing political barazas, meeting foreign dignitaries and holding leaders’ meetings to solidify his state on the days the Azimio has been holding countrywide protests.
Busy schedule
Noting that the demands of his office as Head of State cannot allow him enough rest even for a day, Dr Ruto has been touring different parts of the country. On others, he has been outside the country on official engagements.
His activities, actions and dealings have attracted a lot of interest, with every step he makes being watched closely by both ally and foe. Dr Ruto’s administration has had to deal with hard-line stances by Mr Odinga that have led to violent street protests and loss of lives and properties.
The President, in a bid to affirm his authority, has had a busy schedule launching development projects and addressing multiple roadside rallies. The Opposition has refused to recognise his administration and to compound the President’s trouble is controversial taxes and levies that critics say will worsen the high cost of living
Also, the Opposition withdrew from the bipartisan talks, resorting to mass action, which they have vowed will continue weekly. It is for this reason the President has since last week harnessed his political support, meeting with Kenyans in different forums.
In reference to the State House meeting that resolved to counter the opposition protests, Mr Ichung’wa and Mr Cheruiyot released a joint statement castigating planned demonstrations, calling them a “blackmail campaign”.
“As leaders, we call on the police to firmly deal with the gangs and we commit to playing our part in ensuring that there will be no further loss of life, destruction of property and sabotage of our economy by political anarchists.
“Our message to Raila Odinga is unequivocal: On Wednesday, we shall protect our country, our people, our property and our democracy,” read the statement.
“As elected leaders of Kenya Kwanza, we have resolved to cooperate with the police and our constituents to ensure there is no further loss of life and livelihoods. Going forward, we and the people shall protect property, guard peace and lives from these destructive elements.”
Cost of living
The two went on to enumerate what the Kenya Kwanza government was doing to bring down the cost of living. Yesterday, Mr Nyoro appeared to suggest their strategy worked.
“This President has shown us that he is not a pushover by neutering maandamano,” he said at Mugoiri Girls High School.
On Wednesday, the first of three days set by the Azimio coalition for nationwide protests, Dr Ruto was in Kericho to commission the Kimugu Water Project that will supply water to more than 200,000 households.
He also travelled to Narok where, accompanied by Kenya Kwanza leaders, he opened Olesharo Girls Secondary School, a fully sponsored Narok East NG-CDF project. He also made brief stopovers where he addressed wananchi while castigating the Azimio demos and ruling out the possibility of power sharing.
Earlier in the day, Dr Ruto held talks with Ambassador Katherine Tai, the Principal Trade Adviser and Spokesperson on US trade policy. On Thursday, he was in Isiolo and Meru where he issued title deeds.
In Isiolo town, he commissioned a road and addressed a rally before heading for Ngaremara ward to issue title deeds. He later flew to Ruiri ward in Meru and commissioned a road before addressing his supporters and later heading for Tutwa in Buuri to issue more title deeds yesterday, the President’s itinerary in Murang’a County was changed last minute to include more stops where he was expected to launch dairy projects and commission a road.
He had earlier met with Sheikh Shakhboot, the United Arab Emirates Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at State House, Nairobi. On July 12 during another round of protests, the President hosted his Iranian counterpart Jaber Bin Ali Al Dosari at State House, where several agreements were signed between the two states.
And on Saba Saba, July 7, when Azimio launched an aggressive signature collection bid aimed at withdrawing the country’s sovereignty from the Kenya Kwanza government, Dr Ruto was on an official visit to Congo after arriving from Comoros the previous day.
