Waiguru dares Uhuru to back Raila, says Ruto will still win

Kirinyaga county governor Anne Waiguru has called out President Uhuru Kenyatta for allegedly planning to shortchange his deputy William Ruto.

Waiguru dared Uhuru to back the Azimio La Umoja movement led by ODM leader Raila Odinga saying he will be in for a rude shock on August 9.

She said the more he allowed Ruto's opponents to humiliate and hurl insults at him, the more popular he became.

She challenged the Azimio faction to concentrate on selling its manifesto as opposed to hurling insults at Ruto.

"For three years you have been going round humiliating and insulting the DP. Be aware that power belongs to the people and they are the ones who will vote in Ruto as their next president. The more you embarrass him, the more he rises," she said.

Waiguru said the Head of State has a responsibility of rallying the Mt Kenya region behind his deputy in honour of the support accorded to him in the 2013 and 2017 elections.

She said that the region will have a bad image in the event it fails to back Ruto who stood with them at the hour of need.

"We want our character to be defined by honesty and trustworthiness. Not the narrative we are long associated with of political conmanship and deceit. We want our people to commit themselves to fulfil pledges they promised others," she said.

Speaking on Wednesday, the county chief further faulted the Head of State for disparaging his deputy who has demonstrated patience and submission.

While in Mukure ward, where he commissioned bursaries worth 125 million, Waiguru said the region was still an UDA party stronghold and as such, they will overwhelmingly support Ruto for the presidency.

He told off a handful of regional politicians who were saying the region had shifted to Azimio.

She said that no amount of intimidation, insults and propaganda would change the electorates' decision in choosing Ruto.

The governor said most of the governors alleged to be allied to the Azimio movement are retiring this year and have no influence on the voters.

"Out of the 47 governors, 17 will be finishing their second term this year and consequently leaving the governorship. If these are the people you are relying on to help you in vote hunting, then you will be in for a rude shock. Kenyans have already made up their minds on which aspirants they will follow and who they shall vote in."

Waiguru at the same time rubbished attempts to revive the Jubilee party saying it is deflated and has since lost its glory.

At the same time, Waiguru chided her woman rep Purity Ngirici saying she is rallying behind Azimio while disguising herself as an independent candidate.

She noted that independent candidates are not resourceful in helping the people compared to those vying on political parties tickets.

Edited by B. Marita