Work with me, not Raila, Ruto cajoles Musalia and Wetang'ula

Deputy President William Ruto has pleaded with supporters of ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya's Moses Wetang'ula to prevail on the two politicians to join his side ahead of the 2022 General Election.

The plea comes after the two leaders from the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) said they were not in talks with either Dr Ruto or ODM leader Raila Odinga to form a coalition.

Dr Ruto, who was visiting Vihiga County for the second time in two weeks, urged the two leaders not to work with Mr Odinga again.

"Kindly speak to Mudavadi and Wetang'ula," Dr Ruto said during a stopover in Chavakali. "Allow me to reach out to them so that we can form the government together."

He added: "I am asking you (supporters) to allow them to work with me and not Odinga. I want you to help me reach out to them. Inform them that I was around."

For second day on his campaign tour of Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia and Vihiga counties, Dr Ruto was without his close allies, including MPs from the region, and spent about two hours addressing rallies before he left in a chopper.

He arrived in Chavakali at 11am, an hour later than what the campaign programme circulated by his team indicated. The DP had earlier kicked off his campaigns in Muhudu at 9.30am.

Talks with OKA leaders

Dr Ruto had earlier claimed he was in talks with the two leaders and indicated that his United Democratic Alliance party was ready to form a coalition with ANC and Ford Kenya.

Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang'ula, however, said they had not received any formal or informal invitation and that they were not in talks with any politician other than those in OKA.

But a determined Dr Ruto, speaking in Vihiga County on Thursday, sought the help of voters to woo them.

He then asked the Luhya community not to accept to be divided through the formation of regional parties.

Dr Ruto's plea could be seen as asking the community to remain steadfast in ANC and Ford Kenya and reject Mr Odinga and the DAP-K party associated with Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.

He made the remarks days after Kanduyi MP Mr Wafula Wamunyinyi and Tongaren's Eseli Simiyu formed DAP-K to rival Ford Kenya in Bungoma and Trans-Nzoia counties.

Mr Wamunyinyi and Dr Simiyu abandoned Ford Kenya after they fell out with Mr Wetang'ula and are now allied to the Mr Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja.

Preferred presidential candidate

Dr Ruto said: "They are dividing us by creating regional parties. This is because we have outsmarted them. I am asking you to remain united so that we have unity of development."

Dr Ruto then told supporters of the ANC and Ford Kenya leaders that some tycoons had settled on Mr Odinga and made him their project for their own interests and for that reason they should shun the ODM leader.

"I am here today to reach an agreement with you. We have a chance to form the 2022 government together and I am making this request (to work with your leaders) with humility," he said.

And added: "Some people want to select a President for us through hotel meetings. We must come together and stop the arrogance of a few people who think their fat bank accounts will decide for us so as to protect their interests."

Dr Ruto was referring to the Mt Kenya Foundation, a lobby that has picked Mr Odinga as its preferred presidential candidate.

He tore into Mr Odinga's plan to give Sh6,000 to at least 20 million destitute Kenyans, describing it as a handout to people who need employment and empowerment opportunities.

On Monday this week, Mr Odinga defended the economic revival plan and social protection fund he is proposing, saying it will liberate the poor and enable Kenya to achieve one of the three key independence pillars, eradicating poverty.

Jobs and empowerment

Mr Odinga then dismissed Dr Ruto's “bottom-up” economic model and said the drive is backward.

But yesterday, Dr Ruto said it was unfortunate that Mr Odinga was planning to use government money to dish out handouts to Kenyans who are struggling to make ends meet.

Said Dr Ruto: "They want to give the youth a handout of Sh6,000 every month so as to silence them. Handouts will not stop the youth from speaking. All they need is jobs and empowerment."

The Deputy President then said his administration will set aside Sh100 billion to create jobs and set up agro-processors and value addition industries.

Another Sh50 billion will go to a kitty from which small business enterprises will draw low-interest loans.

This, he said, will help eradicate poverty and turn around the economy from the trickle-down to bottom-up model.

On Monday, at a funeral in Lugari, Mr Odinga said the kitty that will advance Sh6,000 to individuals will see "our women respected and the educated youth empowered and not given a wheelbarrow".

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