Allies of Deputy President William Ruto have dismissed as insignificant President Uhuru Kenyatta’s move to publicly endorse ODM leader Raila Odinga for the top seat.
The Mt Kenya legislators said Uhuru’s call for the vote-rich region to rally behind the former Prime Minister during the Sagana III meeting in Nyeri county on Wednesday will fail.
Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata and MPs Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu) and Isaac Mwaura (nominated) said the call came late as the people of Mt Kenya region have already decided whom they will vote for come August 9.
“In Kiambu, we have decided that the fifth president of Kenya will be Ruto. So please, just pack your bags and go and remember to take your handshake partner with you,” Ichung’wa said.
At the Sagana meeting, Uhuru delivered his address in his native Kikuyu, a move seen as an attempt to convince residents to heed his call.
Uhuru urged his community to back Raila’s bid, saying he has the best interests for the region and the country.
It was the first time the President publicly told his community that the ODM leader was his preferred successor.
Ichung’wa said the President misled the country when he spoke about his achievements during his tenure.
“Saying that farming had made progress since giving the Agriculture docket to a son from the region- Peter Munya- is a lie,” he said.
“Agriculture has not flourished. Before he came in, a bag of fertiliser was Sh2,500 but it is now Sh6,000. Come back to planet earth and see that Kenyans are suffering.”
He said that the President also misled the public when he said retired President Mwai Kibaki left Kenyans with a Sh2 trillion economy, which has risen to Sh13 trillion.
“The truth is that Kibaki left us with a debt of Sh1.8 trillion, but you are leaving office when the country has a debt of Sh12 trillion,” Ichung’wa said.
He further said that university students currently do not get loans to pay their school fees and upkeep.
“Uhuru needs to respect the work that Kibaki did for this country. We will support Ruto who will pick from where Kibaki left,” he said.
Kang’ata said he was sure that people from Murang’a will vote for Ruto and not the ODM leader.
“From the time Raila teamed up with Uhuru, commodity prices have been on a steady increase. Nothing will change if he takes charge.”
Kang’ata said he was invited to the Sagana meeting, but opted to stay away since he knew discussions at the event would not revolve around empowering the ordinary man.
“I knew they were not going to talk about the youth who do not have jobs or farmers who are not making enough money from their produce,” he said.
Mwaura said should Ruto have waited to be endorsed by the President, he would be in “very bad shape because all along there was a scheme to ensure that he becomes irrelevant”
He said there was no doubt that Mt Kenya region will overwhelmingly support Ruto.
“Central Kenya is not a kingdom where you have a king who, if he says lets go right, people go right. We do not have one leader who is everything. I have been on the ground and nothing is going to change,” he said.
Mwaura further said Uhuru does not have the capacity to deliver his stronghold to the Azimio La Umoja team.
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