NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 30 – Deputy President William Ruto has taunted his main political rival Raila Odinga a day after he met tycoons from the Mt Kenya region saying politicians are free to engage “the rich and the poor.”
In a thinly veiled reference during the burial of Nyeri County Assembly Speaker’s father, Mzee Richard Kaguchia, in Mukurwe-ini on Wednesday, Ruto who has fashioned his presidential bid as a platform for the elevation of the poor through what he has termed as a bottom-up economic model, said he will maintain focus on his development agenda.
Ruto, referred within political circles a the Chief Hustler, said his meetings with the poor should not be construed to be a class war.
“We are keen on creating jobs and making enterprises grow so that we can further our growth,” said Dr Ruto.
He was accompanied by Kirinyaga Deputy Governor Peter Ndambiri, MPs Rigathi Gachagua, Ndindi Nyoro, Benjamin Washiali, Rahab Mukami, Irungu Kang’ata, Benjamin Gathiru, Isaac Mwaura and several MCAs.
The Deputy President said he was glad the proposed review of the Constitution through the Building Bridges Initiative had gone bust.
“It was a fraud; a dangerous assignment that wanted to return an imperial President.”
Gachagua urged the businessmen pushing for Raila Odinga to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022 to ask him to confirm to the country that he will accept defeat if he loses to Dr Ruto in the polls.
The Mathira MP said the Deputy President will continue to engage the downtrodden, small-scale traders and farmers.
Nyoro said the Mt Kenya Foundation be had failed the community at the hour of need.
“Where was Mt Kenya Foundation when people of the region were being kicked out of their homes in Kariobangi? Where was Mt Kenya Foundation when goods of small-scale importers were being burnt?” Posed the Kiharu MP.
On his part, Kang’ata said that under the Handshake, Mt Kenya had undergone the greatest hardships for the residents and leaders.
“Leaders have been harassed because of their independent thought. And life has also become hard under it (handshake),” he explained.
Senator Mwaura explained that Mt Kenya is united behind the Deputy President.
“The people of Mt Kenya know where their votes will go. They do not need to be pushed by tycoons,” he said.
