President William Ruto has revealed that he personally reached out to Kanu chairman Gideon Moi to have him drop his senatorial bid.
Ruto said he deliberately sought him out in a bid to unite the country and elevate Kenya’s development agenda.
Speaking during a major political gathering at Moi’s Kabarak home in Nakuru, where he was hosted by the independence party leader, President Ruto said the move to bring Moi and Kanu on board was driven by a greater national calling, not personal interest.
This, as he told the Kanu supporters that he takes full responsibility for initiating the talks.
“Kama iko maneno imetokea, blame it on me, mimi ndiye nilitafutana na Gideon,” Ruto declared.
“I told him, tafadhali kuja, because the destiny of Kenya is far greater than what I can get or what Gideon can get.”
On Thursday, the Kanu leader failed to appear before the IEBC in Kabarnet to submit his nomination papers, sparking tension among his supporters who had gathered to receive him.
The President said his outreach to Moi was part of a broader effort to rally all national leaders behind a shared vision of development and unity.
Noting this is part of his mission to unite the country, Ruto stated that this was similar to his previous meetings with ODM leader Raila Odinga and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta in recent weeks.
“I have had a conversation with the honourable Raila Odinga and told him it is important for us, despite everything else, to recognise our potential as a country,” Ruto said.
"I have also sat down with my predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, and explained to him that we need to move this country to the next level.”
According to the President, despite the strides he has made in various sectors, it was also important to ensure leaders are united.
He cited progress in health, housing, and agriculture, among other sectors, but said the government’s ambition was much greater.
“I want to tell you, members of Kanu and fellow Kenyans, that is not enough,” he said.
"We need to lift this country to the next level, and to do that, we must pull together.”
Ruto urged Kanu members to join hands with the Kenya Kwanza administration, saying their party’s legacy and experience could play a vital role in shaping the country’s future.
“You, as members of Kanu, have a great responsibility in the destiny of this country,” he said.
"Pulling together can lift Kenya. We want a successful nation. We want to move from a third-world country to a first-world nation, that was the dream of our founding fathers.”
The Kabarak meeting, attended by more than 3,000 delegates, marked the clearest signal yet of a new political alignment between Ruto and Moi, two leaders whose families have long been on opposite sides of Kenya’s political history.
Ruto also emphasised unity and inclusion saying "This is not about who wins or who loses, it is about Kenya. Working with all leaders, from every region, we can achieve the promise of our nation.”
