- Ruto said the leaders led by former Azimio leader Raila Odinga should instead join them in finding solutions to challenges faced by citizens.
- He said he was ready to work with all elected leaders; MCAs, MPs, Women representatives, senators and governors so as to plan for Kenyans’ development.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
President William Ruto has urged Azimio leaders to stop demonstrating against his administration.
Ruto said the leaders led by former Azimio leader Raila Odinga should instead join them in finding solutions to challenges faced by citizens.
He said he was ready to work with all elected leaders; MCAs, MPs, Women representatives, senators and governors so as to plan for Kenyans’ development.
“ I want to ask the opposition to stop issues to do with demos. Let them join us in planning matters that can bring development to the people of Kenya," Ruto said.
Ruto addressed the public at Makadara shopping centre in Athi River, Machakos County on Friday shortly after he commissioned the Sh2.7 billion Mavoko Drinking Water Supply Project.
The project was implemented between 2017 and 2022 during the retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s reign.
The president was hosted by Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti and her deputy Francis Mwangangi.
He said demonstrations can’t help Kenyans.
The president extended the olive branch to the Raila-led team only a day after the ODM chief announced that they will resume their national protests against Kenya Kwanza’s administration after one week.
Ruto maintained that the issues raised by Azimio should be addressed in parliament.
“I have told them that if there is an issue, there is parliament, and we have elected people in parliament. Let them go discuss those issues,” Ruto said.
He criticized the opposition’s demands that IEBC servers used on August 9, 2022, presidential polls should be opened.
“Kwani nyinyi mnajua mahali server iko? Wanakuja kusumbua watu server, server, server gani?( Do you know where the server is? They are coming here to bother people about server, which server?)” Ruto said.
He added
“I call on all fellow leaders with due respect, all these issues we are disturbing citizens with, there is no need of destroying Kenyans’ property. No need of causing chaos, throwing stones, putting sufurias on your heads.”
Ruto said that the two teams of MPs nominated by both Azimio and Kenya Kwanza should be given time to engage in bipartisan talks and come up with solutions to the issues raised by the opposition.
“Sisi tuende tuongee tutatue ile maneno iko. Mimi nimetoa wabunge waende bunge, pande ile imetoa wabunge wao waende bunge. Si wanaenda kuzungumza na ile watakubaliana tutaenda mbele. No need of disturbing Kenyans,” he said.
He said Kenyans want the government to offer solutions to youth unemployment, reduce costs of living, and execute development projects for citizens across the country.
Ruto said Kenyans need development and not demonstrations.
He said Kenyans went to the ballot and ended issues of leaders through the ballot, it was now time for citizens, to implement development projects and improve livelihoods.
Ruto assured Kenyans that they will walk the development journey together.
He told the opposition to organize themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections since issues of elections were long dealt with until then.
“I earlier before the 2022 polls told those my friends to get organized or else they would sink. They didn’t heed my advice and sunk in the polls,” Ruto said.
“If they don’t organize themselves and if they continue with sufurias on their heads, their issues will get stuck more,” Ruto said.
Ruto said putting sufurias on heads couldn’t help reduce the prices of maize flour.
“Even if you put sufurias on your head for how many days, unga prices won’t go down. You must go to the farm for it to go down,” Ruto said.
“Sasa hawa watu wa kuweka sufurua kwa kichwa waache mchezo. Waache kusumbua mimi na sufuria kwa kichwa, wangoje mimi nipange hi maneno kwa sababu walikua na nafasi ya kupanga wakashindwa. Walizubaa mpaka bei ya unga ikafika Sh230, sasa waache kutuletea kelele mingi,” Ruto said.
He said the price of 2kg maize flour will go down from next week since his administration had ordered imports that will be arriving in the country by the end of this week.
Ruto said his administration had organized Kenyan farmers across the country by registering 5 million farmers and distributing 6 million bags of fertilizers.
He said the farmers were already working on their farms so as to produce food and sort out the hunger problem.