DP William Ruto warns chiefs against taking sides ahead of polls

Deputy President William Ruto has warned state administrators against taking sides ahead of the August 9 General Election.

Addressing roadside rallies in Ukambani Wednesday, he lamented that some administrators were campaigning for Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition flagbearer Raila Odinga.

“We have learnt that there are people who are planning to use chiefs, assistant county commissioners and county commissioners to campaign for Azimio,” the DP said at Makindu Township in Makueni County.

“Chiefs should not be forced to break the law. It’s not your business to organise any political party. You are servants of all Kenyans, irrespective of whatever party they belong to. Do not subvert your oath of office; be faithful to the constitution. Serve Kenyans equally. Azimio should look for its own errand boys,” he added.

The DP urged the Kamba community to reject Mr Odinga’s bid, saying the Orange Democratic Movement leader had no development track record in the region for the years he was the prime minister.

Cost of living

He also accused the Azimio candidate of looking the other way as the cost of living escalated, being preoccupied with amending the Constitution to accommodate his allies rather than revamping the economy to make life bearable. He alleged that the ODM boss had short-changed Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka on several occasions.

Dr Ruto was on his second day of campaigns in the region, which voted overwhelmingly for Mr Odinga in 2013 and 2017. He pledged to lower the cost of living and end the region’s perennial water problems, if elected.

He was accompanied by governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos) and Amason Kingi (Kilifi), MPs Cate Waruguru (Laikipia) and Charles Kanyi (Starehe). They addressed supporters at Sultan Hamud, Makindu and Kyumani townships.

“The Raila of 2022 is not the one we supported overwhelmingly in 2013 and 2017. The one we’ve been voting for would have already led protests against the high food prices. He has been compromised,” said businessman James Mbaluka, who is seeking the Kibwezi West parliamentary seat on a United Democratic Alliance ticket.

‘Uhuru ungrateful’

In Murang’a, Dr Ruto’s running mate Rigathi Gachagua accused President Kenyatta of being an ungrateful person, saying he had ‘betrayed’ his deputy who worked so hard to keep him in power.

“Mt Kenya residents are asking; where did we wrong Uhuru? We love you so much and that is why we prayed and supported you when you faced charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC),” Mr Gachagua said.

“You mean the only gratitude you can accord us as your diehard supporters is to bring to us Raila and Karua to lead us? Isn’t that despising us?” he added.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria said Mr Odinga and Ms Karua would be rejected by the people because they are sponsored by the state.

“During the deputy presidential debate, Ms Karua admitted that they are projects in Azimio. Uhuru must know that we will reject his projects the same way we rejected him in 2002. He should not force us to vote for Mr Odinga and Ms Karua,” he added.

Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata accused President Kenyatta of engineering his ouster as the Senate Majority Whip for opposing the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

“I wrote a letter to the President, warning him that BBI would fall. Instead, he sacked me as the Senate Majority Whip. What followed is that the BBI was trashed by the courts. I will write a similar letter to warn him that his project will be defeated,” he said.