Stop playing politics with unga, DP Ruto tells Uhuru Kenyatta
Deputy President William Ruto during a Kenya Kwanza campaign rally at Gikomba market in Nairobi yesterday.
Deputy President William Ruto has accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of playing politics with maize flour after the government took measures that will lower prices of the Kenyan staple, just 20 days to the elections.
Addressing roadside rallies in Nairobi, which has 2.4 million voters, Dr Ruto said the Head of State had only intervened as a campaign tool because the polls are round the corner.
“This is the same government that had initially blamed the high prices on the Ukraine-Russia war. The war is still ongoing, so why did you leave Kenyans to suffer for so long?” he quipped.
“I have heard them say they will lower the cost of flour. The chairman of Azimio (One Kenya Coalition) is the President and Raila (Odinga) is the flag bearer. What difference can you expect from him? The government wants to reduce the price of unga because elections are near,” he added.
The Ministry of Agriculture yesterday inked a deal with millers to bring down the cost of flour from Sh210 to Sh100 per a two-kilogramme bag. A one-kilogramme packet will retail at Sh52 and the 500-gramme bag at Sh30.
“The ministry shall subsidise the price of maize flour being produced/sold by the miller for a period of four weeks from the date of this contract,” states the agreement the ministry has inked with millers.
The DP said he would improve the business environment for small and medium enterprises, saying Kenya Kwanza has created a ‘Marshall Plan’ to create jobs for the youth in different industrial sectors.
“I want to urge the youth not to vote in a person who has no plan for them. As Kenya Kwanza, we have created a plan for you. We want to make the Jua Kali sector to be a manufacturing industrial unit in the country. We will rebuild the textile industry to create jobs,” said Dr Ruto.
The DP promised to reduce the cost of fertiliser from Sh6,000 to Sh2,000 per 50kg bag. “Our priority is to reduce the cost of living. We are going to build a government that respects your small businesses; a government that understands the ‘mwananchi language’,” he added.
He criticised Mr Odinga for saying he would ban the importation of second-hand clothes (mitumba), saying it would hurt ‘hustlers’.
“If you were lucky growing up wearing suits and nice shoes, respect the people who wear mitumba, because we are just like you,” Dr Ruto said.
Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi warned against attempts to interfere with the August elections.
“I was on a small trip to the United States to represent Kenya Kwanza. We are not split. Look at what is happening in the US. Those of you who are interfering with the transition and free democratic process shall be investigated.
“We shall open an inquiry into your activities and you will answer to Kenyans why you undermined their democracy,” he said.
