DP William Ruto has broken his silence over the raging debate on alleged neglect of Central Kenya by the Jubilee administration on development.
Whereas the DP concurred with leaders who have openly expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling coalition’s development record in the region, he asked them to use appropriate means in addressing the issue.
“After projects promised for decades became a reality under Jubilee, many Kenyans, especially Jubilee members understandably are asking us for more,” the DP said in a tweet on Tuesday.
"Jubilee members must, however, use the appropriate mechanism to channel matters concerning us and avoid unnecessary negative debate that only undermine the party , the party leadership and the President,” he said.
Ruto told the antagonists to understand that all development projects across the country can, and have only been implemented subject to the availability of resources.
The DP said no region, community or Kenyan will be left behind now or in the future on matters development, but that "must be tempered with the reality of what we can afford".
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and his Bahati counterpart Kimani Ngunjiri have been vocal in calling out the Jubilee administration for sidelining Mt Kenya.
Kuria accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of initiating projects in opposition strongholds and ignoring his Central Kenya backyard that voted for him almost to a man in the last election.
“As we enter 2019, you (voters) must think…our responsibility is not just to vote and after voting, we [the government that we form] take development to other regions. That kind of nonsense must stop,” Kuria said on New Year ’s Eve at Thika Stadium.
“We want the President to also commission water projects, roads and electricity when he comes here. We were with him in Kisumu where he commissioned a road project, but when he visits Kiambu he only issues certificates to recovering alcoholics.”
His remarks sparked off criticism that forced him to apologise to the President. He claimed he had been quoted out of context.
Read:
On Monday, Ngunjiri backed Kuria’s remarks and asked the President to stop associating with people (the opposition) that had been shunned by previous regimes.
He told the President to call for elections if he had decided to ditch Jubilee for the opposition.
Since the March 9 handshake, Uhuru has been defending his working relationship with ODM leader Raila Odinga. The President has been seen more with Raila in public than with Ruto since the truce.
A silent rebellion that has been simmering within Jubilee since Raila’s “entry” into the government went off the roof following Kuria and Ngunjiri’s curt remarks.
On Monday, however, a furious Uhuru rebuffed their sentiments and gave those criticising his leadership and development acumen a tongue lashing, calling them "washenzi" (fools).
The President said his decision to work with the opposition chief was for the common good.
“I, my friends, I'm not one to be easily intimidated. Especially when I know the path I have taken and where I want to go is the best place for Kenya,” Uhuru said.
He spoke in Mombasa during the ground-breaking ceremony of Mama Ngina Drive Regeneration project.
“Every citizen is entitled to development regardless of where the leader comes from kwa hivyo hao washenzi muwachane na mimi
[so those fools should leave me alone]," Uhuru said.
Hours later, an adamant Kuria held his ground saying, the President was right about equitable development across the country but the Mt Kenya region is equally entitled to it.
“Right now, it is not happening,” Kuria said.
Read:
Read also:
On Tuesday, Nyeri Town MP Wambugu Ngunjiri questioned why Ruto was silent. The MP said the DP has repeatedly said he was working for the President as mtu wa mkono
[errand boy] to initiate projects in Central Kenya, yet he was not defending him.
"Why is Deputy President William Ruto quiet when members of his Mt Kenya Tanga Tanga team are attacking the President and claiming he has not done anything for the region?"
"Wasn't he in Mt Kenya on average every week last year 'launching development projects' on behalf of his boss President Uhuru Kenyatta as his mtu wa mkono," Wambugu asked.
He went on, "Why is he not stepping up to defend his boss now with the list of the projects he launched in Mt Kenya. Or the projects he was launching were his personally?"
Ruto told the disgruntled Jubilee leaders to go slow on the matter inasmuch as they were raising credible concerns.
He said since its ascent to power in 2013, the Jubilee administration charted a robust development manifesto "which has all become a reality".
He listed the Standard Gauge Railway, tarmacking of roads, rural electrification, reform of the NHIF, and construction of TVET institutions.
These, he said, have been deliberately distributed equitably.
“The BIG4 (Agenda) will build on this foundation. FACTS,” Ruto tweeted.
Also see:
Related: