NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 28- Deputy President William Ruto has reiterated that his vision and desire to vie for the top job next year will not be disrupted.
He said his desire to “transform the country and move it forward by bringing development at the grassroots will not be disrupted by political opponents.”
Speaking in Gatanga, Murang’a County on Saturday, the DP asked Kenyans to be cautious of divisive politics and focus on unity before and after next year’s succession politics.
“I want to assure you that the vision to move this country forward will not be dragged back. I am ready to work with Kenyans in maintaining peace and pushing this country to where we all want it to be,” Ruto said.
He was hosted in Murang’a by area Senator Irungu Kang’ata who recently joined his camp after being ousted from the Senate Majority Whip position last month following a bitter fall-out in the ruling party which he was accused of criticizing.
Other leaders who attended the meeting include MPs Alice Wahome (Kandara) Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) Mohamed Ali (Nyali) and Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu) among others who vowed to support the DP in his presidential bid.
“Do not be worried because of what those people are doing and the alliances they are forming. We want to remind them that you told them the conversation in this country will change. The conversation will be about empowering young men and women, about multiplying money at the grassroots level and not how power will be divided up there,” Wahome said in an apparent reference to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi, Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka, Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetangula and KANU’s Gideon Moi.
The leaders have lately warmed up to President Uhuru Kenyatta as part of the successio politics strategy.
Nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura urged Ruto not to be cowed by threats and intimidation as he traverses the country to sell his empowerment message of the youths.
While dismissing the clamor for constitutional change in the country, Nyoro said that their support for DP Ruto would not be tamed regardless of the tactics deployed by the state machinery.
“They are celebrating about the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) win at the County Assemblies as if they were being opposed by anyone. Our priority is not BBI and we will not be dragged in constitutional amendment politics that will not help the ordinary Kenyan,” Nyoro said.
BBI proponents have been hitting out at Ruto and his allies from Mt Kenya region after all the 10 counties in the region endorsed the BBI Bill.
The counties include; Laikipia, Nyeri, Murang’a, Nyandarua, Tharaka Nithi, Nakuru, Kirinyaga, Meru, Embu and Kiambu.
The region is largely divided into Kieleweke and Tanga Tanga factions affiliated to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto respectively.
Ruto and his allies have been opposing some of the BBI proposals and insisted that it should be subjected to a multiple-choice referendum, a recommendation that has been rejected by those championing for Constitutional change including Odinga.
The Bill which required 24 counties to vote in its favor has so far received the approval of 42 Counties and it is set to be presented to the National Assembly and the Senate starting next week for consideration.
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