Opposition leaders lack ideas on how to end poverty, says Ruto

Opposition leaders have no strategy on how to grow the economy and end poverty, Deputy President William Ruto has said.

Mr Ruto said Kenyans will have to choose between “development conscious” Jubilee administration and the opposition, which has no growth agenda for the country, in the August elections.

Addressing a rally in Changamwe on Sunday, the DP said unlike the National Super Alliance leaders who were only interested in removing Jubilee from power to get positions, the ruling team was keen on growing the economy.

“Our competitors have no clue on how to end poverty. They are only good at organising protests,” he said.

“That is why the fight in August polls will be between us who are for development and our rivals’ empty rhetoric.”

Mr Ruto cited investments in roads, railway,  education and health as some of the government’s achievements and why Kenyans should re-elect it. 

President Kenyatta’s administration, he said, had funded the construction of 6,000 kilometres of roads in the country and railway from Mombasa to Nairobi.

He said he was confident President Kenyatta would be re-elected, adding that the opposition was taking long to name its flag-bearer who will end up being “Leader of Opposition”.

At the same time, the DP cautioned leaders against interfering with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s work.

Mr Ruto urged Mombasa residents to reject the opposition and back Jubilee Party in the August elections.

The DP asked Cord leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka to tell Kenyans what they did for the country when they were in government.

“They should tell us where billions of shillings now being used to build the railway and roads were going,” he said.

ENLIST AS VOTERS
The Deputy President dismissed Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho’s claims that the Jubilee leadership was riding on World Bank projects at Coast.

On the contrary, he said, the government had invested billions of shillings in the region.

The investments, he said, included bridges, roads, purchase of ferries to be delivered in June and equipment at Coast General Hospital while more residents had been connected to power.

He said the projects were for Kenyans and that the government would repay the loans.

He said expectant mothers delivering in public hospitals were getting free services while national examination fees for Standard Eight and Form Four candidates had been scrapped.

At the same time, Mr Ruto said the crackdown on drug dealers in Coast would continue to ensure the youth are not wiped out by the menace.

“We will deal with the peddlers no matter how powerful they are,” he said.

The DP promised to look into problems facing Export Processing Zone workers to ensure they are not mistreated.

Mr Ruto urged Coast residents to list as voters in large numbers and vote for President Kenyatta.

He caused laughter when he asked women to reject love requests from men who had not registered as voters.