Mimi sio mlevi, DP Ruto says as he blasts BBI referendum push

Deputy President William Ruto has launched a fresh onslaught against the push to amend the Constitution and expand the Executive through the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

Ruto insists that focus should be on improving the welfare of the ordinary citizens and not the clamour for more leadership positions such as the prime minister and deputy prime minister posts.

“Wanasema ati tubadilishe katiba kuwe na prime minister… sisi tunasema tubadilishe mjadala tuanze kuongea kuhusu mwananchi mdogo. Wakikuja na mambo ya viongozi tutawaambia tunataka mambo ya wananchi… wakikuja na mambo ya mamlaka tutawaambia tunataka kazi kwa mwananchi mdogo,” said Ruto.

He added: “Mimi si wazimu na mimi si mjinga na mimi si mlevi… Mimi ninajua kile ninasema. Kuanzia hapa chini inawezekana. Kuanzia kwa mwananchi inawezekana. Hawa watu wasitudanganye siku zote ati lazima tuongee mambo ya viongozi. We can as well talk about issues of the ordinary people. In any case they are the majority and they are deserving.”

The deputy president was speaking on Thursday at Sironga Grounds in West Mugirango Constituency, Nyamira County during a boda boda operators’ funds drive that he was expected to attend last week but was disrupted by police.

“They are telling us to continue talking about the prime minister and deputy prime minister positions and for us we want to talk about mama mboga and boda boda operators… Do you want to talk about prime minister and deputy prime minister or what concerns the citizens?” posed Ruto.

He cautioned leaders against dividing Kenyans along ethnic lines even as he condemned attempts by some government officials to disrupt his functions in various parts of the country.

Ruto accused some leaders of balkanizing the country on ethnic and political grounds to meet their own personal interests.

“I want to urge my fellow leaders, stop the politics of balkanizing Kenyans. Every Kenyan is at home in any part of Kenya and no Kenyan is a visitor or guest in any part of Kenya. Wherever you are, from whatever community, religion or hustle you are involved in, in any part of Kenya you are at home and you are entitled to protection from the government of Kenya,” said Ruto.

The DP exonerated police officers from blame for disruption of his functions saying those who were giving orders were the ones responsible for such activities.

“Majority of our police officers have no problem at all. They also hustle like the rest of Kenyans. They understand the challenges facing our people,” said Dr Ruto.

The DP also cautioned the youth against being used by some leaders to engage in violence.

“Tell those who want to misuse you to engage in violence to allow their children and wives to take the lead on such matters but not you,” Dr Ruto told the youth.

Ruto also attended a fundraiser for 10 Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) churches at Miriri Centre in Kitutu Masaba.