Deputy President William Ruto yesterday told his competitors in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya to stop intimidating him over his 2,500 acres of land in Taita Taveta County.
While responding to last week’s warning by Azimio brigade that they will repossess his vast farm, Ruto said he bought the land legally, contrary to claims from his political detractors.
Addressing rallies rallies in Taveta and Voi town, yesterday, the DP sensationally claimed that some Azimio leaders have more than 100,000 acres of land at the Coast region and should come out and explain how they acquired the same.
“Instead of intimidating me over my legally acquired property, let them also tell us how they acquired their over 100,000 acres of land in the Coast region. I have documents showing how I got my land in the region and let them also show Kenyans the receipts of their land in the region,” he said.
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“My competitors should stop talking about my 2,500 acres of land. I have receipts from the person who sold the land to me. Let them (Azimio) show the receipts from the people who sold the huge chunks of land to them in the region,” he told his supporters in Voi town.
During a tour of the county last week, Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga declared that his government will repossess the more than 2,500 acres belonging to Ruto. The DP had clarified that he bought the land from the former Taveta MP Basil Criticos. Mr Criticos admitted that he sold the land to Ruto.
Suna East MP Junet Mohammed and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho claimed that the land was illegally allocated to Ruto and will be reverted back to the local community if Azimio ascends to power.
“The DP has a huge chunk of land at his Sugoi home and why did he come and get land here. He (DP) is denying local residents water by diverting it to his farm,” alleged Junet.
Yesterday, Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi joined in the fray and defended the DP over the land. Kingi wondered why Raila and his allies did not pin point other major land owners like the Kenyatta family that owns more than 30,000 acres of land in Taveta Constituency.
“The Azimio presidential candidate is a puppet and a project of the ‘Deep State’ and cannot protect the land rights of the Coastal community,” he said.
“The Coastal community should not vote for Raila as he will protect the interests of a few individuals who deprived the local community of their land rights. If you vote for Azimio you will be perpetuating impunity that Kenya Kwanza would like to eradicate,” he added.
Ruto said the Kenya Kwanza administration has an elaborate plan to end historical land injustices in the county.
The DP promised that if elected president, he will buy one million acres of land from absentee land lords to be distributed to the squatters.
“I have made a commitment that my administration will purchase land belonging to absentee landlords and distribute it to the landless, review the economy and address the high rate of unemployment and poverty unlike my competitors who are only interested in changing the Constitution to create jobs for few individuals,” he said.
Ruto pledged to revive the Sh30b Mzima springs second pipeline project that stalled.
