Raila Odinga is seeking presidency to protect elite, says William Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto has urged voters to reject what he called State political projects in the August polls.

Dr Ruto yesterday said ODM leader Raila Odinga and his allies in the Azimio la Umoja coalition were people only interested in safeguarding the interest of a few wealthy individuals and protecting the status quo at the expense of millions of Kenyans who were jobless and hundreds of businesses in distress.

The DP, who was on a campaign tour of Nairobi, said the ‘Hustler Nation’, under the United Democratic Alliance, is the only solution to the problems the country faces, including the economy, and asked voters to shun Mr Odinga and his allies.

Speaking during stopovers in Marurui, Kahawa West, Githurai, Zimmerman, Mwiki and Ruai, he said a UDA administration would create millions of jobs and rescue businesses that had suffered punitive and hard economic times.

Dr Ruto said Mr Odinga has no track record on development, and one is only banking on the support of the State, through his handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta, and the backing of a few wealthy individuals to win the presidency.

“There are some individuals who have been telling us that because they have big banks, money and influence, they can dictate and decide for us who the next president will be. They want to give us a candidate who will protect their interests. But we want to tell them that we will not be cowed,” Dr Ruto said.

Performance

“He (Raila Odinga) was prime minister and I have been the deputy president, and you have all seen the work we have done with President Uhuru Kenyatta. Now even if you ask yourself, will the contest in the election be about beauty or about performance and track record?”

The DP was accompanied by a host of UDA-affiliated leaders and aspirants. He said those behind Mr Odinga’s candidature are people who cannot be trusted and have instead resorted to using fear, threats and intimidation to coarse leaders opposed to their agenda.

If elected, his administration would build markets in the city, provide incentives and grants to the youth to start businesses, and list all Kenyans for health insurance cover provided for by the government, he said.

“For 50 years, we have been subjected to the trickle-down economic model, but even the president of the United States, Joe Biden, recently said the bottom-up economic model is the only sure way of uplifting everyone from poverty,” the DP said.

“By the end of this year, we will ensure all Kenyans are registered under the NHIF. And we will make sure that contributions are in line with everyone’s earnings. Not that those who earn less are forced to pay more than people like the DP. Those who cannot pay will also be paid for by the government.”

Sensed defeat

Leaders who had accompanied Dr Ruto said Mr Odinga lacks a plan on what his presidency will offer to Kenyans, accusing him of name-calling and politicking.

“Our opponents have only been meeting in boardrooms and hotels to plan for us who the next president will be. But we want to tell them the power to elect is with Kenyans,” said Nyali MP Mohammed Ali.

South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro said: “We will not allow a few individuals to plan for us our future in hotels.”

Dr Ruto said that Mr Odinga, having sensed an early defeat due to a lack of plan, has been spreading propaganda about his opponents, arguing

“I recently heard that Raila complaining that I give too much money to churches, boda bodas and mama mboga. I want to tell him that the Sh2 million he was talking about is small money. This year, we will give billions to our youths and women so that they can also build up their businesses just like other Kenyans,” he said.

“We also intend to build 20 five-storey markets within the city, to ensure that our traders do not do their businesses under the sun and in the rain. We also intend to allocate up to Sh50 billion to SMEs and another Sh100 billion to the youth,” he added.

The DP was accompanied by MPs George Theuri (Embakasi West), Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu), James Gakuya (Embakasi North), Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Benjamin Gathiru (Embakasi Central) and Nixon Korir (Lang’ata).

Other were nominated senators Isaac Mwaura and Millicent Omanga, governorship aspirant Margaret Wanjiru (Nairobi) and Ferdinand Waititu (Kiambu), among other leaders.

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