Cement your Legacy and don’t impose Raila on voters- Ruto allies tell Uhuru

Deputy President William Ruto and his allies on Thursday while in Kirinyaga County asked president Uhuru Kenyatta to cement his retirement legacy and stop imposing Raila on voters.

He was accompanied by Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya), Anne Waiguru, Rigathi Gachagua, George Kariuki (Ndia MP), Kithure Kindiki among others.

The Kenya Kwanza team toured Sagana, Kibingoti, Kianjanga, Mukinduri, Gichugu and Karumandi. They have been touring all the Counties in the Mount Kenya region to drum up support for their candidates.

The Mount Kenya visit comes a week after the Kenya Kwanza team traversed the whole of Nairobi County popularizing the party and its candidates.

Speaking in Kirinyaga, deputy president William Ruto urged his supporters to reject Raila Odinga terming him as the enemy of the people.

He said that Odinga was in 2013 and 2017 on record attacking the Jubilee government and thus he should not be trusted at any given time.

The DP said that former prime minister Raila Odinga is unsellable in the Mt Kenya region and should not be imposed on the people.

 “You should not be duped to vote for someone who can’t deliver on promises, he betrayed Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula and we can’t trust him with our future,” Ruto said.

He added that Raila Odinga is trying to hijack the progress of the Jubilee government forgetting that he once opposed Uhuru Kenyatta and refused to recognize his presidency.

ANC party leader recalled how they tried to campaign for Odinga in 2013 and 2017 but Kenyans rejected him.

“Uhuru should know that we once tried to market his friend Raila Odinga and Kenyans rejected him and even in August, Kenyans won’t vote him,” he said.

His Bungoma counterpart Moses Wetangula urged Kenyans to mind about their future by electing the Kenya Kwanza team.

Kirinyaga governor Ann Mumbi Waiguru assured Ruto of massive support in august.

Waiguru said that she will traverse the whole of Kirinyaga to campaign for the UDA party.

“Bwana deputy president, the people of Kirinyaga loves you and I can assure you of their support, “she said.

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua said some leaders have been lying to Raila that he can get the support of the region.

“As a region, we support President Uhuru Kenyatta in everything but supporting Raila is a big challenge,” Rigathi said.

He asked those imposing leaders on the people not to underestimate their capability to elect leaders of their choice.

The deputy president and his team avoided attacks on president Uhuru Kenyatta unlike in other Counties.

Political analyst Andrew Maringa said that the DP tries to play safe while in Mount Kenya and portrays his relationship with Uhuru as superb.

 Maringa says that the DP strategically casts himself as a subservient follower of the President while in the Mount Kenya region, presumably so as not to antagonize the Head of State’s supporters.

“You will never see the DP and his allies attacking president Uhuru Kenyatta while in Mount Kenya, he always strategically casts himself as a subservient follower of the Uhuru Kenyatta, presumably so as not to antagonize the Head of State’s supporters, “he said.

About two weeks ago while on a Western region tour, the deputy president lectured Uhuru Kenyatta as someone who has let the Kenyans down.

Uhuru had publicly accused Ruto of doing no work for the government and politicking 24/7, Ruto hit back, claiming he made Uhuru President.

Uhuru urged Kenyans to elect a focused leader who is development-oriented.

The DP on his part said that the president is out to ruin his reputation ahead of the August general election.

He defended his track record in government, saying that he took part in every project that became a success in the Jubilee administration.

“Jubilee was a joint project between Uhuru and Ruto. I want to tell them that you cannot deny me the credit for the many things we have achieved as a government. It is not going to happen,” Ruto said at a rally in Likuyani, Kakamega county.

About a week ago while meeting youths from the Mount Kenya region, president Uhuru vowed to hit the ground and campaign for the revival of the Jubilee party.

He said that Raila Odinga should be entrusted with the future of Kenyans.

Nearly 4,000 Jubilee delegates are expected to attend a political jamboree where President Uhuru Kenyatta will formally endorse ODM leader Raila Odinga’s presidential bid.

Uhuru will lead the ruling Jubilee Party in declaring support for Raila in a National Delegates Convention (NDC) planned for February 25 and 26.

The Jubilee outfit is expected to invite friendly parties, including the One Kenya Alliance that brings together Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Kanu chairman Gideon Moi, Cyrus Jirongo of United Democratic Party and Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua.

Nominated senator Maina Kamanda on Thursday during the television interview said that both Jubilee and ODM will hold a joint nomination exercise in Nairobi.

He said that the move will help to counter the UDA prominence ahead of the August general election.

“We are fully behind Raila Odinga as Uhuru has shown us the way and we are ready to face off with the deputy president and his team, especially in Nairobi county,” Kamanda said.