DP William Ruto has said the meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga will help the country unite and move forward.
Ruto told NASA co-principals who complained that they were not consulted over the meeting to accept the turn of events and support the move for the sake of uniting and developing the country.
“I want to ask our brothers who say they were not consulted, not informed or not told to accept the situation as this will help unite the country,” Ruto said.
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The Deputy President praised the Uhuru-Raila pact saying it will end divisive politics and enable leaders to focus their energies on development issues.
Ruto spoke on Saturday at
Tabor Hill Catholic Spiritual Centre in Nyahururu town, Nyandarua County.
He said the meeting should now put to an end the chapter of political competition.
“As leaders we should support the efforts by President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga who met last Friday in uniting this country. We must now bring to an end political competition.”
Ruto told leaders to play a greater role in eradicating politics based on ethnic, religious and political affiliations, saying elections ended last year and that it was time to concentrate on development.
“Its now an opportunity for all leaders to focus their energies on implementation of development projects especially the Big Four- manufacturing, affordable housing, access to healthcare and food security,” Ruto said.
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Several elected Jubilee leaders were present during the event.
They include Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen, Governor Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua), MPs Kimani Ichungwa (Kikuyu), Michael Muchira (Ol Joro-rok) and David Kiarao (Ol Kalao).
Others were
Amos Kimunya (Kipipiri), Mwangi Githiomi (Nyandarua), Catherine Waruguru (Laikipia) and John Kinyua (Laikipia).
Murkomen said he was optimistic that the meeting between the President and Raila will bring to an end the 'secession and resist' kind of politics that have been common with the Opposition.
“The latest development will give us the opportunity as a country to engage in politics of development and unity.”
Murkomen praised Raila for taking the bold move to work with the government and urged Nasa co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetangula and Musalia Mudavadi to consider doing the same.
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The MPs welcomed Raila's decision to work with the jubilee administration but challenged him told him to now recognize Uhuru's presidency as legitimate.
“As we welcome Mr Odinga to work with Jubilee, he should first recognize the election of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto,” Muchira.
The legislators reassured Ruto that
Central and Mt Kenya regions will fully back his 2022 presidential bid.
“We want to assure that the people of Central and Mt Kenya recognize the role played by Mr Ruto in the election of President Kenyatta and the development initiatives across the country. We will support him for the top seat when the time comes,” Waruguru.
Kimemia echoed the sentiments saying the regions will take the lead in campaigning for Ruto.
“On behalf of 10 governors in Mt Kenya Aberdare region, we are together with you and we will give you our total support when the time comes," Kimemia said.
Ichungwa said they will stick by an agreement made in 2012 that Uhuru be supported for two terms until 2022 and Ruto to take over to 2032.
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He supported Raila's decision to support the government saying it will boost unity and development efforts.
Later, Ruto launched the Nyandarua County tree planting campaigns that aims to plant 10 million trees in five years.
He said there were 130 million tree seedlings available for planting this rainy season.
The DP told county governments to take the lead in planting trees in their areas saying the recent report on forest cover across the country showed that the counties which took most of their time in politicking had less forest cover.
“We are committed to dealing with issues of environment to increase forest cover in the country County governments should take the lead in tree planting campaigns,” Ruto said.
The Deputy President also addressed wananchi in Wei Secondary School in Subukia Constituency, Nakuru County.