Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi has told off presidential aspirants who have been implying Mt Kenya will be allotted the deputy president's post.
Muturi said it is the height of disrespect to the people of Mt Kenya for any contestant to label them as only fit to produce the presidential running mate.
The Speaker, who has declared his intention to vie for the presidency on a Democratic Party ticket, said the region has no shortage of leaders who can vie for the presidency.
"This is sheer disrespect to the people of this region. How can anyone come looking for our votes yet label us just fit for number two?" Muturi said.
He was addressing Democratic Party grassroots delegates who met in Juja town.
Muturi said he will not agree to be anyone's running mate.
"I am going for the top seat. If they want to be my number two they are welcome, but do not come to this region bearing a sense of entitlement and dangling us the number two position," he added.
He was reacting to calls that have appeared in various political rallies asking him to join the United Democratic Alliance and become a possible running mate to Deputy President William Ruto.
"Mimi nikuwe namba two ya nani? Hii ni madharau ya hali ya juu sana," (Me to become whose number two? This is sheer disrespect).
Muturi also dismissed recent presidential election opinion polls which have shown Ruto as leading, saying there is no scientific evidence of how the pollsters collect their data.
The Speaker said polls in previous elections have never turned out correct and this is not an exception.
He called on aspirants for political seats in Mt Kenya region to join the Democratic Party and seek tickets to vie.
He told the grassroots delegates he has what it takes to return the party to where it was when retired President Mwai Kibaki made it his platform to seek the top seat.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
