• Deputy President termed the Wednesday announcement by businessmen from Mt Kenya as inconsequential, saying votes are with Kenyans.
•The DP said schemes were being being orchestrated by his competitors to incite Kenyans against each other to evoke tribal emotions.
Image: COURTESY
Deputy President William has laughed off the endorsement of ODM leader Raila Odinga for president by the Mt Kenya Foundation.
The Deputy President termed the Wednesday announcement by tycoons from Mt Kenya as inconsequential, saying the votes are with Kenyans.
On Thursday in Makueni county, he said gone are the days when some clique could dictate the country's political direction. He said elite businessmen have selfish interests to expand their empires at the expense of Kenyans.
“There are people used to dictating to others and they are now in hotels planning. Someone has picked a small team to sit in a hotel to chaperone us. Is there someone you have sent to the hotels to plan and give you direction on election matters?
"Aren't you the ones to decide? Those sitting in hotels planning are wasting time,” Ruto told the residents of Matiliku. They shouted in agreement.
The DP called on Kenyans to stand firm and not be swayed by the political elites saying his bottom-up economic model was the way to bridge the huge gap between the rich and the poor.
He said for a long time the trickle down model has impoverished Kenyans as state resources have largely benefited the top class.
"Those purporting to choose country leadership in hotels and private meetings are doomed to fail," Ruto said.
He said he is determined to break down economic barriers by ensuring the downtrodden members of society are empowered economically with equal chances to access state resources.
“From next year, our priority will be to set aside Sh1 billion for housing, agro-processing, value addition, manufacturing so we create jobs for our youth. It is our priority as a government to grow the small enterprises so one day they are huge companies,” he said.
He said UDA is the only party with a national outlook and in a position to unite the country.
"Competitors are only interested in creating positions for themselves while I am focused on improving the lives of the the majority of ordinary citizens," Ruto said.
At the same time, the DP hinted that operatives in the Office of the President are linked to the latest trend of youth infiltrating his rallies to heckle him. The idea is to discourage young people from voting for him, Ruto said
The heckling has been witnessed in Busia, Kisumu, Laikipia and in Kisii county on Wednesday where some youths were arrested.
The thinking in Ruto’s camp is that the youths are planted by state operatives as a trap to make him unattractive to young people.
The DP said schemes were being orchestrated by his competitors to incite Kenyans against each other to evoke tribal emotions.
He said Kenyans were more enlightened than before, adding that such evil plans will not succeed.
Ruto, who spoke after he was heckled by youth in Kisii county, said it was unbelievable some senior government officials were inciting Kenyans to engage in violence instead of asking the people to embrace peace.
“It is no surprise that those driving the exclusive top-down model of governance find no place for youth, except to deploy them on retrogressive errands.
"We witness them at some of our meetings, including today's (Wednesday's) successful tour of Kisii county,” the DP said on Wednesday evening in a press statement.
He said, “This active marginalisation of the youth is a characteristic of the old regressive order that has frustrated Kenya's progress and extinguished countless opportunities to achieve meaningful prosperity.
"I call on the youth to shun divisive activities and political errands aimed at further marginalising them and setting them up for blame and sanction.”
(Edited by V. Graham)