Ruto vows to stand firm as allies urge Uhuru to send MPs home
DP William Ruto during a funds drive for Pentecostal churches in Bumula, Bungoma County, yesterday.
What you need to know:
- Dr Ruto took a swipe at proponents of the Building Bridges Initiative, saying there was a need to change the dialogue and bring communities together instead of creating new positions for a few people.
- He cautioned Kenyans against divisive politics and urged the Luhya community to support his presidential bid, adding that nobody should be threatened or intimidated “for holding a certain political post”.
Deputy President William Ruto on Sunday vowed to stand firm against threats and intimidation as his allies piled pressure on the President to dissolve Parliament over failure to implement the two-thirds gender rule.
At a funds drive for Pentecostal churches in Bumula, Bungoma County, some Tangatanga MPs challenged the President to adhere to the Constitution he swore to protect and follow Chief Justice David Maraga’s edict.
“The Chief Justice said we have failed to enact the two-thirds gender rule, so we should go home and seek a fresh mandate. The President has no option but to do so,” said Kuria West MP Mathias Robi.
Dr Ruto took a swipe at proponents of the Building Bridges Initiative, saying there was a need to change the dialogue and bring communities together instead of creating new positions for a few people.
“The conversation should change, and it must change; we are going to advance talks with the masses so that they can also grow. The poor are the voters; we have to lift them out of poverty,” the DP said.
Divisive politics
He cautioned Kenyans against divisive politics and urged the Luhya community to support his presidential bid, adding that nobody should be threatened or intimidated “for holding a certain political post”.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria asked Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart, Moses Wetang’ula, to stop dragging the Mulembe nation into the opposition.
“We are forming the government with Ruto and we don’t want the Mulembe people to be left behind,” said Mr Kuria. “We want to form a government that will take care of the hustlers and revive the economy, we don’t want to be part of the government but we want to form the government.”
The DP’s allies once again alleged that there were plans to use Huduma Namba to rig the 2022 General Election.
Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama claimed certain people in the government were manipulating Huduma Namba data at a mansion in Runda, Nairobi.
“They are manipulating Huduma Namba data to steal votes. We won’t accept a second registration of the same,” said Mr Wanyama. Bumula’s Mwambu Mabongah added: “We need accountability in the Huduma Namba registration. Data must be protected. We won’t let them manipulate it.”
Didimus Barasa (Kimilili), Malulu Injendi (Malava), Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira), Benjamin Washiali (Mumiasi East) and former Kakamega senator Bonny Khalwale also attended.
