ODM leader Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto on Sunday clashed over their 2022 promises as they camped in Mombasa for another charm offensive of the Coast region.
The two perceived 2022 main presidential opponents have intensified their vote-hunt in the Coast, making another return to the region in three weeks.
In their first day of the tour, Raila and Ruto railed at each other as they offered counter pledges in their bid to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Instructively, Raila pitched tent in Mombasa to rally his troops for the first time since he made his State House bid official on December 10.
The ODM leader, who met elders drawn from across the Mombasa county at Sheikh Zayed Hall, warned Mombasa against “letting the hyena in sheep skin into their shed”.
“He comes with sweet words. He wants you to open your shed. If you do that all your sheep will be gone,” Raila said, referring to Ruto.
The ODM boss dismissed Ruto's the bottom-up economic model championed terming it 'hot air.'
“Beware of the hyena. Ati bottom-up. That is rubbish,” Raila said at Sheikh Zayed.
Raila met more than 10,000 village elders, Nyumba Kumi ambassadors, opinion leaders and community leaders.
Ruto, who met with members of the Akamba handicraft carving industry in Changamwe, hit back at Raila, saying Kenyans were tired of the "riddles."
Ruto refers to Raila as 'the riddles man.'
“Do you still want to listen to proverbs, sayings and anecdotes? People of Mombasa, are you not done with proverbs?” Ruto said.
The DP said some people were campaigning on the platform of riddles, but have failed to demonstrate to Kenyans what they have done for them.
Ruto answered Raila, defending his bottom-up economic model as the only revolutionary programme that will spur economic growth.
“We want to grow the economy of this region so that each businessperson will have money in their pocket,” Ruto said.
The DP said he is keen to ensure small cooperatives do not borrow money from banks anymore.
“That is what bottom-up is all about. We want to ensure you have enough money in your pockets to grow your own businesses.”
Ruto held a breakfast meeting with some of the county’s professionals and UDA allies at a private residence in Nyali.
He then attended a church service at Power of World Christian Church in Frere Town.
He later met Mombasa leaders at Shanzu after officially opening Boss TV station in Changamwe.
The DP will on Monday meet with elders from different communities at Burhania ground on Monday morning.
On Sunday, Raila said he will revive the Coast economy that has been hit hard by the effect of Covid-19, the SGR and the Mombasa port changes.
This was the demand of Governor Hassan Joho, who said the first agenda for the Mombasa people is to have the SGR policy reviewed should Raila become president.
He said the Blue Economy has enormous potential and his administration will give it a lot of priority.
“We will industrialise our economy. I am talking as a production engineer. I know what I am saying. It can be done,” he said.
But the DP said under his administration next year, there will be a programme to ensure school leavers are gainfully employed.
“Anywhere where employment can be found, we will ensure there are school leavers who also benefit from the employment. That will be part of our plans to ensure youth get employment,” he said.
Ruto said the government will give grants to small-scale business people to boost their businesses.
Both Raila and Ruto touched down in Mombasa on Saturday evening at the Moi International Airport and immediately went to meetings with their key allies at the Coast and in Mombasa.
While Ruto went into dinner of Mombasa professionals hosted by former Senator Hassan Omar, Raila is said to have held a meeting with Joho at his residence.
The Coast region has more than two million votes and it is a significant bloc for any presidential candidate.
Last week, Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi declared support for the Azimio la Umoja Movement, bolstering Raila's efforts to consolidate the region.
He had initially been kicked out of ODM and replaced as county party chairman after falling out with some stalwarts at Orange House.
However, Raila wants Kingi to shelve his Pamoja African Alliance party ambitions if he is to be welcomed back to the fold.
But Ruto's Coast point man and ex-Mombasa senator Hassan Omar has however said the party’s popularity at the Coast is slowly overtaking that of ODM.
“Statistics show that we are ahead of ODM in popularity in Mombasa,” said Omar at Majengo last Saturday.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
