DP Ruto: In August, we shall send Raila home in a wheelbarrow

Deputy President William Ruto yesterday took his presidential campaign to Kitui and Makueni counties, where he urged the Kamba community to reject his rival, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga in the August 9 General Election.

Addressing roadside rallies, Dr Ruto portrayed Mr Odinga as unfit to lead. “Does the old man of riddles look like someone who is fit enough to lead this country?”

“The only thing remaining is for us to put him on a wheelbarrow and send him express to Bondo,” he said in Kee township in Makueni, referring to Mr Odinga’s rural home. He also addressed rallies in Kitise and Mavivye townships in the same county, and in Kitui and Kwa Vonza in Kitui County. 

The campaign stops came barely a fortnight after Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka dropped his presidential bid and instead endorsed Mr Odinga’s candidacy.

In an apparent bid to set up Mr Odinga against locals, the DP tapped the former vice-president’s initial displeasure with some elements of the Azimio la Umoja campaign.

He said Mr Musyoka had suffered at the hands of Mr Odinga and that it was time voters in the region rejected the ODM leader.

The DP took credit for the Jubilee administration projects in the region. They include enhanced rural electrification, road tarmacking, and the establishment of training institutes to arm young people with the technical skills they need to become employable.

He also cited the upcoming Konza City, and the ongoing construction of the Sh64 billion Thwake Dam on the border of Kitui and Makueni counties that he said is meant to make the region food-secure. He claimed the region had nothing to show for Mr Odinga’s tenure as the prime minister.

Dr Ruto was with United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chairman Johnson Muthama, Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki and MPs Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town), Vincent Musyoka (Mwala), and Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East).

Buoyed by netting more local allies who are eyeing seats under UDA, Dr Ruto exuded confidence that he would win in August 9 elections and become the fifth President. 

His new supporters include Makueni Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau, who is eyeing the Makueni woman representative seat, former Makueni Gender executive Robert Kisyula, who is gunning for the Makueni Senate seat, and former KBC journalist Bonnie Musambi, who wants the Kitui Central parliamentary seat.

He pledged to set aside a Sh50 billion annual fund accessible at the ward level that is meant to promote small-scale enterprises and to significantly enhance the Big Four agenda, which focuses on promoting agriculture, industrialisation, housing and universal health coverage.

DP Ruto lamented that Mr Odinga’s priorities are misplaced.

“The man of riddles should not take us for fools. His preoccupation with changing the Constitution to expand the executive should wait until we improve the economy to create jobs for the jobless youth. Our priority will be improving the economy,” he said.