Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate William Ruto on Wednesday accused his Azimio la Umoja counterpart Raila Odinga of copying his manifesto.
He made the accusations while addressing his supporters at a Mombasa County Economic Forum which was held at Mbaraki Sports Club.
" Raila alisikia akisema tutarudisha operations Mombasa akasema "ata mimi nitafanya ivo". Ni kama tu juzi alisikia tukisema mama mboga wakafkiria tumesema mama moja, wakakimbilia mama moja. Kwa sababu hawana chochote original," Ruto said.
This loosely translates to: "Raila heard that we will revert the port operations to Monasa and he has also said he will do so. Just like he heard us talk about mama mboga and thought we said one woman. He went and picked a woman as running mate. Because they (Azimio) have nothing original".
Ruto has been chiding Raila's choice of Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua as his running mate.
Speaking at Embu on Sunday, Ruto said the ODM leader chose Karua out of confusion.
"When they (Azimio) heard we were planning to lift mama mbogas and all those struggling to make a living, Raila went ahead and chose a woman running mate out of confusion".
The Mombasa port operations were affected after changes were made to direct some of its core activities to the Nairobi and Naivasha inland ports.
Speaking on May 10, during the welcoming of Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi to the Alliance, Ruto vowed to reverse the operations back to the seaport if elected president.
“We have made a commitment that we are going to undertake both administrative and legal steps to reverse what has become the biggest impoverishment of the people of Mombasa and Coast in its entirety.”
The agreement signed between Kenya kwanza and Pamoja African Alliance stated that the port was among the pending reversals, should Ruto get the five-year presidential tenure.
He now claims Raila took his plan.
“We shall return port services to Mombasa within three months after August 9,” Raila said during Mombasa campaigns on April 19.
Ruto added that Raila is unable to revert the transfer of the operation saying he is a project and does not have his own word.
"The Whiteman says "he who pays the piper, calls the tune", do you think the 'project' can go against the master's words?" he posed.
The UDA leader also promised to resolve land disputes in the region, adding Raila could not help them since he did nothing during his time as the Prime Minister.
"We have agreed with your leaders to create a special funding to buy back all land with absentee landlords for the Pwani residents," Ruto said.
