Ruto: Why am I a punching bag?

Deputy President William Ruto has said he will not be distracted by what he calls under-the-table political tactics by his opponents.

He said together with President Uhuru Kenyatta, he is focused on serving Kenyans and ensuring the government realises its development plans.

Mr Ruto said he had become a punching bag for political lightweights in the country, observing that “the constant, perennial and unending headlines and opinion polls is sponsored by our competitors because they cannot match our development records”.

“When they are through with the headlines and the corruption propaganda, let us meet at the development arena of the people of Kenya because that is where the real contest is, and we will not allow them to take us to an arena that has no benefit to Kenyans,” he said.

The Deputy President spoke on Thursday during a breakfast meeting with the Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru and 33 members of the county assembly from the region.

He added: “We have beaten them in serving Kenyans, now they have opted to fake opinion polls. As a matter of fact, they will never match our development records.”

The Deputy President urged his competitors to focus on issue-based politics rather than going into an “arena of fake opinion polls and fake stories”.

He said the national government would continue supporting the counties in their push for more development.

“In the last six years of our leadership, we have put massive resources in the modernisation of roads and intensified power connectivity to households and businesses. Our goal is to make Kenya business friendly and attract foreign investments,” he said.

Mr Ruto said the government would give 30 milk coolers to Kirinyaga County so as to add value that would see farmers earn more and create employment opportunities for the youths.

“All this has been possible because we have discarded the old-fashioned politics of tribalism and division,” he added.

While promising to support Mr Ruto’s presidential bid in 2022, Ms Waiguru observed that “even though we were advised to stop politicking, those attacking us would get stronger political attacks going forward”.

Kirinyaga County Assembly Majority Leader Kamau Murango said they were committed to supporting the Deputy President.

“This is not a debt the people of Mt Kenya would be paying but fulfilling a promise made,” said Mr Murango.