Ruto woos voters as Biwott plots ouster
National Vision Party Chairman Nicholas Biwott addresses the party's dinner meeting held at a hotel in Eldoret town on June 08, 2012. Photo/FILE
What you need to know:
- Parties in pre-poll pact to clip Eldoret North MP’s wings in Rift Valley
- URP leader pledges to share resources equitably as Biwott and Kanu sign pact
Poor policies and unfairness in allocation of national resources are among the major factors that have led to inequalities in Kenya, presidential hopeful William Ruto has said.
Speaking during a campaign tour of Trans Nzoia and West Pokot counties on Friday, Mr Ruto said empty rhetoric by a section of leaders had slowed down developments in most parts of the country.
“Most of the leaders you elect waste time focusing on empty rhetoric instead of highlighting the economic challenges of the country,” he said at Chepareria market in West Pokot.
He said if elected his government would tackle the economic challenges facing the country by reviving key sectors.
Meanwhile, three parties have agreed to form a coalition ahead of the next General Election in what is seen as a bid to curb Mr Ruto’s and his party’s influence in Rift Valley.
Former Cabinet minister Nicholas Biwott’s National Vision Party (NVP), the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and Kanu said they would work together “with a view of forming a pre-election coalition to be signed in the next few weeks.”
Mr Biwott, NVP vice-chairperson Benta Akinyi, UDM chairman John Koech and secretary-general Martin Kamwaro announced the deal at the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi on Friday.
Although Kanu, whose leaders were busy campaigning for the party’s candidates in Monday’s Ndhiwa and Kajiado North parliamentary by-elections was not represented at the Press conference, Mr Biwott said it was part and parcel of the pact.
“Kanu is on board,” he announced.
Sources said the pact follows a series of meetings in the last three weeks that were also attended by representatives of two presidential candidates from western Kenya.
Mr Biwott said the delegates would decide if the parties would field a presidential candidate at polls.
Although he said details of the pact “will follow shortly,” the Saturday Nation learnt that the parties would field their own candidates in their strongholds.
Mr Kamwaro said the pre-election pact was a result of unfolding political realities.
“Kenya is at the dawn of a new constitutional dispensation that allows political parties to coalesce and work together,” he said.
By Lucas Barasa, Peter Ngetich and Philip Bwayo
