•For the last four years, Ruto has unleashed high octane charm offensive campaigns to the region that has for a long time been regarded to be the stronghold of his friend turn foe, the ODM leader Raila Odinga.
•The Deputy President is expected to host them for a two-day retreat to discuss the matter among the economic blueprint for the region to be incorporated into the hustlers manifesto to be unveiled in December.
Image: DPPS/FILE
A section of Coast leaders are set to formally make their case as to why the region should produce the runningmate for Deputy President William Ruto in the 2022 presidential race.
Leaders from the six Coastal counties have already indicated that for the first time, the region deserves to be given the slot which Mt Kenya and Western too are eyeing.
When they met last week on Wednesday in Nairobi for a pre-retreat session, they resolved that they will be fronting a candidate for consideration as Ruto’s running mate in the presidential race.
“This candidate will be determined on account of merit, performance and integrity among other parameters recognising the high agenda of the hustler nation to de-ethnicism Kenya and create a just and equitable order,” they said.
For the last four years, Ruto has unleashed high octane charm offensive campaigns to the region that has for a long time been regarded to be the stronghold of his friend turn foe, ODM leader Raila Odinga.
In his frequent political missions to the region, Ruto has managed to woo some of Raila’s allies who now back the DP’s 2022 State House bid.
According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission data of 2017, Mombasa had the highest number of registered voters at 580,223, followed by Kilifi with 508,068 and Kwale with 281,041.
Taita Taveta had 155, 716 registered voters, while Tana River and Lamu had 118,327 and 69,776, respectively.
The Deputy President is expected to host them for a two-day retreat to discuss the matter among the economic blueprint for the region to be incorporated into the hustlers manifesto to be unveiled in December.
The two-day retreat that will take place at a hotel in North Coast, will bring together delegation from Mombasa, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu and Tana River.
It will kick off on Friday and end on Saturday.
“The retreat will bring the cross-section of leaders from Coast and they will be discussing the blueprint for the region with the Deputy President,” Ruto’s director of communication Emmanuel Talam said.
The DP will be accompanied by a renowned team of economist including David Ndii, Hassan Mwakimako, Umra Omar and a former Principal Secretary among other professionals drawn from Coast who will help the leaders brainstorm on the viability of every proposal.
Some of the leaders from the region who are supporting the Ruto’s hustler movement and are the conveners of the retreat include MPs Aisha Jumwa (Malindi), Owen Baya (Kilifi North), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga) and former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar.
Others are MPs Mohamed Ali (Nyali), Benjamin Tayari (Kinango), Shariff Athman (Lamu East), Feisal Bader (Msambweni), Rehema Hassan (Tana River Woman Rep), Senators Anwar Loitiptip (Lamu) and Juma Wario (Tana River) and former Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu, among other professionals and strategic thinkers.
Omar, the former Wiper secretary-general said there has been a committee that was engaging all the stakeholders from the region to propose ways to negotiate within the hustler's formation towards building a strong, cohesive and transformative movement that will fundamentally alter the economic structure of Kenya.
Speaking to the Star on phone, Omar said the blueprint they will be presenting will be adopted as part of the hustler nation manifesto in its bid to reclaim Kenya.
“Our blueprint will capture every segment of the economy of the Coast region. Be it cashew nuts, tourism sector, the port services, infrastructure, irrigation scheme in Tana River, livestock among other sectors that account for the economy of our region,” he said.
The retreat is coming hours after Ruto hosted a team of dealers and professionals who have embarked on a journey to develop their economic agenda to be infused in the hustler manifesto
On Thursday, the DP met leaders from Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Busia.
Ruto has already sealed an agreement with a team of his supporters from Mt Kenya and next week, he is expected to retreat with leaders from Raila Odinga’s Nyanza home turf.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris