DP Ruto defends Uhuru in Mt. Kenya underdevelopment claims

Deputy President William Ruto has lashed out at a section of Jubilee members for allegedly undermining the party, its leadership and the President.

The DP’s remarks come amidst reports of an impending division within the Jubilee Party over underdevelopment in Central Kenya.

In a series of tweets on Tuesday evening, the Jubilee Deputy Party Leader sought to assure the party members that the government would ensure no region or community is left behind in terms of development.

He further asked the party members to follow the appropriate procedure in addressing their complaints without bringing disrepute to the party leadership.

“After projects promised for decades became a reality under Jubilee many Kenyans especially Jubilee members understandably are asking us for more. This must be tempered with the reality of what we can afford. No region, community or Kenyan will be left behind now or in future,” wrote DP Ruto.

“Jubilee members must however use appropriate mechanism to channel matters concerning us and avoid unnecessary negative debate that only undermine the party, the party leadership and the President.”

After projects promised for decades became a reality under Jubilee many Kenyans especially Jubilee members understandably are asking us for more. This must be tempered with the reality of what we can afford. No region, community or Kenyan will be left behind now or in future.

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD. (@WilliamsRuto) January 8, 2019

Jubilee members must however use appropriate mechanism to channel matters concerning us and avoid unnecessary negative debate that only undermine the party , the party leadership and the President.

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD. (@WilliamsRuto) January 8, 2019

Rifts within Jubilee grabbed the attention of Kenyans when former party Vice Chairman, David Murathe, publicly dismissed any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the party boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta, and his deputy, DP Ruto, concerning the country’s top seat.

According to Mr. Murathe, there was no MoU requiring the Head of State to endorse and drum up support for Mr. Ruto after his term comes to an end in 2022.

Then came outspoken Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria who, at a New Year’s Eve party in Thika, publicly criticized President Kenyatta saying he had neglected his home turf – Central region – and was only focused on other parts of the country as far as development was concerned.

His comments were echoed by his Bahati counterpart Kimani Ngunjiri who also accused the president of neglecting “his people,” adding that the Kikuyu community continues to suffer under the Jubilee administration.

However, in a rejoinder, President Kenyatta, while touring the Coast region on Monday, said his legacy was based on bringing countrywide development as opposed to his home turf alone.

Speaking in Mombasa, President Kenyatta condemned politicians accusing him of neglecting the Mt. Kenya region despite the area overwhelmingly voting for him in the last elections.

“I am not a person who is easily scared… Those going around playing petty politics I want to tell them this. We will not launch development projects based on which region a leader comes from. We want all 45 million Kenyans to benefit, we want all corners of this country to grow,” said Kenyatta during the commissioning of the Mama Ngina waterfront regeneration project.

“We want a country where every single citizen is entitled to development regardless of where the leader comes from. Kwa hivyo hao washenzi waachane na mimi…(Let those stupid people leave me alone),” he said.

The President’s comments only served to worsen the issue, with MP Ngunjiri, on Tuesday afternoon, leading protests in Nakuru town over the ‘washenzi’ remark.

Ngunjiri was flanked by a smattering of youth wearing T-Shirts with the message; Mimi ni Mshenzi, Je wewe Mwanakenya? (I’m an Idiot, what about you).

The legislator was, however, forced to flee and go on the run after getting wind of his impending arrest by police in Nakuru town.