Raila is a state project, reject him- Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto on Wednesday sustained his onslaught against ODM party leader Raila Odinga describing him as a "state project".

The DP insisted that a Raila presidency is being pushed by a few wealthy individuals who are after protecting their business interests at the expense of poor Kenyans.

He challenged Kenyans to reject the ODM leader and embrace his bottom-up economic model which he said will uplift the lives of many.

"A few people, merely because they have fat bank accounts and in their arrogance, schemed to decide for us who becomes our president. They have organized interviews and imposed on us whom they want to be the President of this nation," Ruto said.

Referring to the group Mount Kenya Foundation, Ruto said Kenyans had not sent them to interview any presidential aspirant.

"Did you send those people to Safari Park Hotel to do the interviews on your behalf?" he posed.

His remarks come days after the Mt Kenya Foundation settled on Raila as their preferred 2022 presidential choice.

They did this after holding meetings with Raila and One Kenya Alliance principals including Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka, Gideon Moi and Moses Wetangula.

According to DP Ruto, Kenyans will not accept a "puppet" to be installed as the president of Kenya to protect the interests of a few people.

He said the scheme will suffer a similar fate to that of the BBI which he claimed was after establishing an imperial presidency.

“ They have now hatched another scheme to change the law so that they can divide the people of Kenya into ethnic village parties so that they can install a puppet president who will take care of their interests," Ruto claimed.

He divulged that the political parties (amendment) bill, 2021  is part of a wider scheme to divide Kenyans into regional parties and help the ODM chief ascend to power.

At the same time, DP Ruto blamed the Handshake for the Jubilee government failures.

He said his priority after winning the presidency will be to revisit the Jubilee government agendas that were neglected as a result of the Handshake.

“These people (Raila and his team) joined the government through the backdoor and scuttled all the agendas that we had for Kenyans and told us that what was important was to change the constitution.

"We will make sure that universal health care becomes a reality and prioritize job creation, food security and infrastructure development once we take over the leadership of this country," he stated.

The DP spoke in Garissa town where he addressed a series of rallies after opening United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party offices.

He was accompanied by Garissa Township MP Aden Duale, Wajir west MP Ahmed Kolosh, local MCAs and several aspirants from the region.

The leaders also expressed their misgivings on the bill saying it will water down democratic gains the country has achieved so far.

Duale assured the DP that the pastoral community is solidly behind his presidential bid.

He described DP Ruto as a honest leader who cares for the Somali and Muslim community at large.

Duale said that while Raila has insisted that he cares and means well for the region, he has done nothing for area residents.

He revisited the 2019 census which he said was meant to depict their region as one with less population.

“We the Somalis want to categorically state that we are not passengers in this country. We will not accept to be intimidated or treated as second class citizens," he said.

He went on: "....and that is why we are saying that in Ruto we have a leader who genuinely cares for us."

Ruto’s visit to Garissa comes barely two months after Raila toured the region to popularize his Azimio la Umoja initiative.

Editted by Bosco Marita