DP Ruto urges Coast voters to back Jubilee Party

Deputy President William Ruto on Monday doled out goodies to Coast residents as he reached out to them to support Jubilee Party ahead of elections.

Speaking during a rally in Voi, Taita-Taveta County, Mr Ruto said the government had built roads in the region worth billions of shillings and would do more.

“The Bura Road will be done soon. Njukini -Taita-Taveta Road will also be built,” he said.

The DP said President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government had increased the number of households connected to electricity from 2.3 million to 5.6 million.

Hospitals in the country, he added had been equipped with radiology and Intensive Care Unit machines.

Three technical training institutes are set to be established in Taita Taveta.

Mr Ruto said a contract for building of a pipeline for Mzima Springs II worth billions of shillings has been awarded and that only an agreement on financing is yet to be sealed.

He said the water project will be the second biggest in the country.

Mr Ruto said a Sh300 million fence will be erected at Tsavo National Park to ward off elephants from harming locals and destroying crops.

The DP was accompanied by Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya, legislators Naomi Shaban, Gideon Mung’aro and Mike Sonko.

He is set to issue title deeds in Taveta today. The DP said President Kenyatta will visit Taita Taveta after a month to issue more title deeds to locals.

He said the Jubilee leadership has given more titles to locals than those issued since independence.

Referring to the book of Amos in the Bible, Mr Ruto said Jubilee Party aims at working with the residents for the country’s unity, and urged them to reject the opposition.

The DP said Coast residents should question opposition leaders development record and avoid being lured by “mere rhetoric.”

"Our rivals should explain where money we have used to build railway, roads and cater for maternity and examination charges used to go,” he said.

TRIBALISM
Cord leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka, he added, should tell Kenyans “what new thing they would do for Kenyans if elected that they failed to achieve during their time in government”.

He urged Coast residents, who overwhelmingly voted for Cord in 2013, to join Jubilee.

“You should join us in our journey to develop the country. I sincerely appeal to you to join us," he said.

He laughed at the opposition for failing to agree on a presidential candidate, leading to formation of a committee.

“If you want to lead, you must be ready and prepared to be lead," Mr Ruto said.

He said many Kenyans did not believe Central and Rift Valley communities would work together due to previous conflicts.

“We resolved never to go on with politics of divisions and hatred,” he said.

He said the opposition wanted to thrive on dividing Kenyans on tribal grounds to attain leadership but would not succeed.

The DP said Jubilee government could account for use of public funds since it was elected.

Taita Taveta Senator Dan Mwazo, who was elected on an ODM ticket, joined Mr Ruto in the tour of the county.

He hailed the Jubilee administration for the construction of the Mwatate-Taveta road that had been neglected by successive regimes.

Mr Mwazo, who is eyeing Taita -Taveta gubernatorial seat, cited electricity connection as another achievement of Jubilee government.

Mr Mung’aro said he is the one together with Mr Mvurya who will determine the direction of Coast politics in August polls.

He described Cord leaders from Coast as “flower girls” who are never involved in decision making.