Mt Kenya MPs cheer Ruto on as 2022 politics gather steam

Deputy President William Ruto addresses residents in Naro Moru, Nyeri County, on September 1, 2019. He said Jubilee Party leaders should focus on developing the nation. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The lawmakers claimed the BBI was formed to propel Mr Odinga to State House and said they will not embrace it.
  • Mr Ruto blamed the opposition for the rising political temperatures in the country relating to the 2022 polls and expected referendum.

Eighteen Mount Kenya MPs allied to the Tangatanga political group on Sunday rejected the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and declared that Deputy President William Ruto’s race to State House is unstoppable.

In a bare-knuckle attack on former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the MPs said Mr Ruto is not giving up his presidential ambitions.

Speaking at Kangaita Primary School in Kirinyaga County, the lawmakers told Mr Odinga to forget ever leading Kenya.

They assured the DP they are solidly behind him and vowed to continue drumming up support for him to ensure he wins in the 2022 elections.

The legislators included Munene Wambugu (Kirinyaga Central), Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu), George Kariuki (Ndia), Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira), Gitonga Murugara (Tharaka), Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu), Jane Kihara (Naivasha), Gichunge Kabeabea (Tigania East), Michael Muchira (Olojorok), Mary Wamahua (Maragwa) and Benjamin Mwangi (Embakasi Central).

Others were Woman Representatives Wangui Ngirici (Kirinyaga), Beatrice Nkatha (Tharaka Nithi) and Faith Gitau (Nyandarua).

MALICIOUS PLAN

The lawmakers, who had accompanied the Deputy President, claimed the BBI was formed to propel Mr Odinga to State House and said they will not embrace it.

Ms Ngirici dismissed the BBI as a waste of time and resources and called for its disbandment. Mr Ichung’wa said the BBI is a political outfit meant to create seats for political rejects.

“The BBI has become useless and it should be discarded. Ruto is our presidential candidate for 2022,” he added. Ms Kihara described Mr Odinga as a spent force and told him to retire from politics.

“Mr Odinga should pack up and go home and leave Ruto to pursue his presidential ambitions,” she said.

On his part, Mr Ruto said Jubilee Party is solid. “Jubilee is intact and would continue focusing on transforming the country by initiating development projects,” he said.

DETRACTORS

In Nyeri, Mr Ruto blamed the opposition for the rising political temperatures in the country relating to the 2022 polls and expected referendum.

While calling on opposition politicians to concentrate on building their own parties, Mr Ruto said “strangers” are working hard to disrupt Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration from delivering on its manifesto.

“There are people whose duty is violence and vitendawili (parables). No amount of noise and distraction will divert the government. Our duty is to develop the country and we will not be disrupted,” he said in an apparent attack at the opposition leader.

Speaking in Othaya at ACK St Paul’s Church Kariki during an event that was boycotted by local administrators, the second-in-command told Jubilee politicians to focus their energies on the country’s development.

Dr Ruto also said he was neither ashamed nor apologetic over his huge and frequent financial donations to churches.

Incidentally, he donated Sh3 million (Sh2 million from his own pocket and Sh1 million from President Uhuru Kenyatta) to the church for construction of a commercial building.