Deputy President William Ruto on Tuesday said the next president will not be elected in a boardroom but by the people of Kenya in a free and fair election,
The DP, who is touring Kakamega county, took a swipe at the Kikuyu elite group, the Mt Kenya Foundation, for endorsing ODM leader Raila Odinga to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He said Kenyans must stand up against the arrogance and chest-thumping by the elite group, which he said is out to protect its vast business interests.
“In this Kenya, there are people full of chest-thumping and arrogance. Some 50 people in Nairobi want to decide for us who will be in the next president because they have money. We must end this [chest-thumping and arrogance],” Ruto said.
“They must know that even if you have Sh1 billion, you only have one vote like anyone else.”
The DP was referring to the Mt Kenya Foundation, an influential wealthy club that has settled on the ODM chief as the best aspirant to succeed President Kenyatta.
MKF separately "interviewed" Raila and the principals of the fledging One Kenya Alliance before throwing their weight behind the ODM boss, who is seeking the presidency for the fifth time.
The DP also dismissed talk of possible interference with the outcome of the August polls by the faceless ‘deep state’ and ‘the system’.
Being the principal assistant to the President, Ruto said, he is more knowledgeable of statecraft, urging Kenyans to vote and not panic about any form of rigging.
He said August elections will mirror the Msambweni, Juja and Kiambaa by-elections where Hustlers defeated the state machinery and opposition combined.
“Forget about 'the deep state' and 'the system,' the August election we will win in the morning and they will do nothing,” he said.
The DP said his competitors in the State House race have nothing to offer to ordinary Kenyans other than pushing constitutional amendments to create an imperial presidency and serve the commercial interests of their masters.
He said Raila, through his handshake, sabotaged the Jubilee’s Big Four agenda that was to — among others — create jobs for young people.
“We had good plans in the Big Four but a few people sat and sabotaged the programme because they don’t want anything good for the million poor Kenyans,” he said.
His statements appeared to be directed at Raila, whom he has accused of destroying Jubilee programmes after his handshake with Uhuru.
The DP said his administration will pump billions of shillings into the economy to ensure unemployed youths and small-scale traders are supported.
“Our first agenda this August is to set aside Sh100 billion on housing, agro-processing value addition and manufacturing to address the high unemployment amongst our youths,” he stated.
In another bid to woo the majority of poor Kenyans, the DP promised a further Sh50 billion targeting small-scale traders, if he wins the August polls.
Sirisia MP John Waluke, who accompanied Ruto during his tour of Kakamega and Bungoma counties, described the DP as the only leader capable of saving Kenyans from the current high cost of living.
In the day-long tour, Ruto addressed rallies in Likuyani, Tongaren, Webuye West, Webuye East, Lugari, Navakholo and Shinyalu constituencies as he sought to woo that region's rich and powerful.
Speaking at Kona Mbaya in Likuyani constituency, Ruto said this year’s presidential race will be won purely on development track records. He challenged his competitors to tell Kenyans what they did while serving in government.
He also showcased various development initiatives of the Jubilee government in the area, promising to do more if elected.
The DP also dismissed Raila’s promised Sh6,000 monthly stipend to poor households as a mere handout meant to hoodwink the youths ahead of elections.
UDA, he noted, will unite the country as opposed to the tribal groupings that are only meant to balkaniSe Kenyans.
(Edited by V. Graham)
