You have no agenda for Kenya, Deputy President William Ruto tells NASA

DP William Ruto (centre) and Majority Leader Aden Duale (left) with other Jubilee leaders in Naivasha, Friday. [PHOTO: ANTHONY GITONGA/STANDARD]

Deputy President William Ruto has defended the Jubilee administration’s scorecard, saying the government had made remarkable achievements in the last four years.

He also explained the rising public debt, saying the money borrowed from external sources had been put into good use.

“There is a big difference between us and the Opposition. We borrowed money to build railways, connect more Kenyans to the electricity grid and construct roads while they borrowed to pay fictitious gold export deals in the name of Goldenberg,” he claimed.

Addressing a rally at Kihoto Grounds in Naivasha yesterday, the DP dismissed claims by ODM leader Raila Odinga that most projects undertaken by Jubilee were initiated by the Grand Coalition.

“The Standard Gauge Railway was only an idea in government books and has been there for more than 49 years. And what is wrong when the Jubilee government decides to implement it?” he posed.

He said President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration had every reason to claim credit for the SGR, saying the Moi, Kibaki and the Grand Coalition governments failed to actualise the project.

Ruto added that the Jubilee government had spent part of the borrowed funds to construct 7,000 kilometres of road.

He accused the Opposition of dividing the country along ethnic lines but added that Jubilee was determined to ensure peace during and after the August 8 General Election.

“We have united all ethnic communities under one party to ensure peaceful coexistence of Kenyans but they (opposition) are busy dividing the country,” Ruto claimed. The Deputy President claimed Raila and other leaders of the National Super Alliance (NASA) did not appreciate the challenges facing ordinary Kenyans.

“Raila is a son of a former Vice President, Musalia Mudavadi is the son of a former Cabinet minister. They do not understand that Kenyans need water and electricity,” he said.

Majority Leader Aden Duale cautioned the Opposition against their plan to set up a parallel vote tallying centre during the August 8 elections. “The law is very clear on how election results should be transmitted,” Duale said.

Jubilee numbers

“The only tallying centre recognised by law is that managed by the IEBC and the returning officer is the IEBC chairman. Anything out of this is illegal and cannot be allowed,” added the Garissa Town legislator. He added that Jubilee still has the numbers to beat NASA.

“This time around we are going to beat the Opposition by more than 4 million votes,” Duale said.

He claimed that some governors had opened an illegal bank account with name ‘County Affairs’ where they plan to channel funds to finance NASA campaigns.

He said he had written to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the National Treasury and the Office of the Auditor General over the issue.

He claimed Raila was defending governors over graft allegations because they finance his campaigns.

Present at the Naivasha rally were Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua, his deputy Joseph Ruto, Jubilee Party county chairman David Manyara and several MPs.

Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, who arrived at the rally as Ruto wound up his address, reiterated her support for Uhuru’s re-election. When Ruto invited her to speak, Jubilee supporters shouted chama! chama! chama! (Party! party! party!) in an attempt to challenge her to decamp to Jubilee. Karua ignored the chants. “I have tasted both sides of the political divide.I have made a decision to support Uhuru,” Karua said.