Leave Ruto alone, ex-CS Echesa tells Atwoli

Former Sports minister Rashid Echesa has asked Cotu boss Francis Atwoli to keep off Deputy President William Ruto’s political affairs.

Echesa on Tuesday told Atwoli to instead focus on issues affecting the Luhya community.

“He should be addressing the collapsing of the economy in the Western region by the death of factories that sustain our livelihoods. Shouting Ruto’s name in funerals, churches and rallies will not solve our problems as a community,” he said.

The Ruto ally dared Atwoli to point out any development programme he has initiated for the decades he has been at the helm of the umbrella trade union.

He maintained that Ruto had pushed for the region's development in the last seven years.

On Saturday, Atwoli reiterated that the DP will not be president in 2022. He had made a similar remark in January and attacked the Ruto-allied Tangatanga politicians in April.

“He can bring his money to churches but he will not be president. And it is not me who is saying that. When I said this in 2014, I wasn’t aware his Jubilee will break up into two factions,” the Central Organisation of Trade Unions boss said.

Ruto associates will not be in the next government, he added.

But Echesa said Atwoli’s attempts to sell the dynasties agenda to Luhyas will fall flat.

“It's Atwoli who has been misleading [Musalia] Mudavadi all the times to follow Raila Odinga and I want to tell him that Luhyas are now mature and know what they want and will not support Raila in 2022,” he said.

He advised Atwoli to retire from politics and "find something beneficial to the community to do instead of wasting time because no one takes him seriously".

He said the Cotu boss was a disgrace because of quarrelling with youthful leaders instead of mentoring them.

Edited by R.Wamochie