Raila-Kalonzo bid bankrolled by graft lords, DP Ruto claims

Deputy President William Ruto on Thursday told the National Super Alliance it has no moral authority to lecture the Jubilee administration on how to tackle corruption or campaign on an anti-graft platform.

He accused the political group of being bankrolled by corrupt cartels in their campaigns.

Speaking at various stopovers during the Jubilee Party campaign tour of Embu, Mr Ruto said Nasa would eternally be indebted to their financiers and would look the other way when they notice corrupt deals.

“How can they tell us about their intention to fight graft yet they are direct beneficiaries of corruption?” Mr Ruto asked at the Kiritiri market. “The money they are using to campaign is the direct proceeds of graft, sourced from the corruption cartels.

“I am telling them directly: They have already mortgaged the country to the corrupt cartels and we will not allow them to do that.”

SHUN GROUP

Mr Ruto told Embu residents to shun Nasa, saying electing them would translate into wastage of resources, resulting in many projects not being implemented.

During the rally, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Ruto accused Orange Democratic Movement presidential candidate Raila Odinga of reneging on his 2010 promise not to change the Constitution. They said Mr Odinga wants to subject the country to another referendum to amend the Constitution so as to create jobs for his co-principals.

“When he was the Prime Minister, he promised that not even a comma would be changed from the Constitution, but now that he is no longer in power, he wants to change the Constitution,” said President Kenyatta told residents of Kiritiri in Embu.

The two called for a review of the issuance of title deeds in the 42,000-acre Mwea Settlement Scheme to ensure fair allocation of the land. The area is known for the production of pishori rice.

TITLE DEEDS

President Kenyatta promised to allocate title deeds to the four adjudication sections of Riakanau, Wachoro, Karaba and Makima. The land issue is emotive with numerous peaceful protests, many of them led by the Mbeere South MP, Rev Mutava Musyimi.

Last year, Kalonzo Musyoka, the leader of the Wiper Democratic Movement - Kenya party and now Mr Odinga's running mate, last year donated Sh500,000 to residents to push for revocation of the title deeds.

In a move that could see the 7,232 title deeds recently issued by the Embu county government revoked, the Head of State promised to hand out the documents in three months after a cleanup.

He commissioned the construction of an 18 kilometre Kiritiri-Siakago road and cautioned the contractor to speed it up.

The duo held a series of rallies in the constituency, starting at Karaba through the dusty road connecting to Runyenjes with the campaign trail culminating in a rally at Embu Stadium.

SPEAKER MUTURI

President Kenyatta said a loss for Jubilee Party, which he leads, means National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi will be out of a job as a Nasa government may not keep him. Mr Muturi is from Embu.

The President blasted the opposition’s plan to create special executive posts for the principals.

In the arrangement that saw three of the principals drop their presidential bids, new posts were promised. Amani National Congress (ANC) chief Mudavadi would become Premier Cabinet Secretary, deputised by Chama Cha Mashinani party leader Isaac Ruto and Ford-Kenya leader Wetang’ula.

DP Ruto hit out at the plan, terming it a selfish waste of State resources for selfish gain.

“They are willing to spend Sh20 billion on a referendum that will favour them only,” said Mr Ruto. “We would rather use the money to create jobs for youth.”

A BACKLASH

However, unlike in previous tours of Jubilee Party zones, the President and the DP toned down their campaigns for Jubilee Party candidates in Embu, seemingly cautious of backlash from their supporters.

Embu Governor Martin Wambora, who is seeking re-election through the Jubilee Party, and Senator Lenny Kivuti, his main competitor of Maendeleo Chap Chap Party, were both in the campaign trail.

The President told residents to choose their own leaders but give him the presidential vote. He however made an exception for Runyenjes parliamentary aspirant Eric Muchangi alias Karemba, an Akorino adherent, whom the DP backed.

At some stops, however, Mr Ruto endorsed Jubilee Party candidates, which was met with jeers by sections of the crowd.