Ruto praises central Kenya allies who’ve stood firm with him

By , K24 Digital
On Sun, 23 Aug, 2020 20:25 | 2 mins read
Ruto Sugoi home
Deputy President William Ruto (centre) with other leaders during an interdenominational prayer meeting at his Sugoi home in Uasin Gishu County on Sunday, August 23, 2020. PHOTO | DPPS

Deputy President William Ruto has praised Jubilee MPs who have stood firm despite threats, blackmail, and intimidations to defend the party’s development agenda.

He said some leaders were keen to divide the party and frustrate its unity and development agenda for the country so as to achieve their selfish ends ahead of the 2022 General Election.

Addressing grassroots leaders from 13 counties drawn from central Kenya at his Sugoi home after the Sunday Service, DP Ruto noted that some leaders were doing everything possible to hijack the Jubilee agenda for Kenyans.

“I wish to commend the MPs who have stood firm despite threats, intimidations, and blackmail to defend the Jubilees development agenda for the country,” said Dr. Ruto.

Present were MPs Susan Kihika (Nakuru), Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati) and Caleb Kositany (Soy).

The DP urged leaders to selflessly guard the Jubilee manifesto and agenda, which is anchored on unity and development from individuals who were eager to divide the party to achieve their political agenda ahead of 2022.

He said President Uhuru Kenyatta and him resolved to work together from 2013 to fight tribalism and negative ethnicity that had led to clashes after every election.

“We must stop politics based on hatred and tribalism. It doesn’t matter the price, we must bring such politics to an end and embrace a united country free from tribalism and negative ethnicity,” said Dr Ruto.

The Deputy President said the Jubilee administration under the leadership of President Kenyatta has achieved much in terms of development projects especially improvement of roads, connection of electricity, development of water, health and education sectors compared to the previous regimes combined.

He said the Constitution allowed every Kenyan irrespective of status in the society to contest for any leadership position including the presidency.

“We must demonstrate that in this country, the child of a hawker and the one using a bicycle by God’s grace can become a leader of any status including the president,” he said.

Mr Ngunjiri and Ms Kihika said they were optimistic that Dr Ruto would take over the presidency in 2022.

“It is my dream that President Kenyatta and the Deputy President will be together before 2022 and continue with what they started in 2013,” said Mr Ngunjiri.

Mr Ngunjiri said promises must be respected, assuring that the Kikuyu community would rally behind the leadership of Dr Ruto in 2022 as promised by President Kenyatta in 2013 and 2017.

Ms Kihika said it is the people of Kenya who elect leaders, dismissing the notion that it was the ‘deep state’, which was responsible for ‘electing leaders’.

“We will overcome the current challenges we have as a party. What I know is that God and majority of Kenyans are with Dr Ruto ahead of the next elections,” said Ms Kihika.

Mr Kositany said they are behind the leadership of Dr Ruto not because he is a Kalenjin but because of his development track record.