DP Ruto: Soon it will make no sense to harass allies

Deputy President William Ruto chats with former Nairobi Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama and other leaders during a hustler nation engagement with grassroots leaders and opinion shapers from Kitui in Karen, Nairobi on August 10, 2021. [Jonah Mwangi, DPPS]

Deputy President William Ruto has warned those using State machinery to intimidate him and his allies that their time is almost up.

Ruto said the era of political threats and intimidation was winding down "in the next two or three months".

He spoke while addressing a delegation from Lower Eastern that visited him at his official residence.

"Peddling fear and intimidation has a shelf life. In another two or three months the price will be zero and you will sink," the DP warned.

Ruto said the Government was using targeted intimidation on his allies and used corruption and law enforcement agencies to cripple his agenda 

"Rather than peddling fear come up with policies that will benefit the people," he said.

The statement comes after a week of high drama that ended with his ally, a Turkish man who Ruto is in business with deported to Turkey.

He asked leaders to compete on the platform of issues, programmes and development track-record. 

He said it was time they desisted from engaging in stale political tactics of threats and coercion.

“Instilling fear in leaders will not make better the lives of ordinary Kenyans. Instead, we must come up with programmes that will empower them,” he noted.

Dr Ruto said the use of intimidation was perishable and an art used by despots and dictators.

He urged leaders to go beyond the temporary waves of political slogans and institute long-term approaches that will change Kenya. 

“Do not be shortchanged with pleasantries; let leaders share their roadmaps to fighting poverty in the country,” he explained.

He challenged the Opposition to explain to the people how their trickle-down economic approach will transform Kenya.

Dr Ruto insisted that the only valid way to take Kenya back to the growth path is through the bottom-up, middle-out economic model.

“Economic revolution will start from the bottom. It is this revolution that will get us out of poverty and the huge debts that we suffer from.”

He spoke yesterday when he welcomed 15 MCAs from Kitui to the Hustler Nation and engaged grassroot leaders and opinion shapers from the region at his Karen Residence.

Leaders present at the meeting were MPs Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East), Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town), Gichunge Kabeabea (Tigania East), John Mutunga (Tigania West), Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira), John Lodepe (Turkana Central) and Daniel Nanok (Turkana West).

Others were former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama, former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar and former Nairobi Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke. 

Mr Mbai said they would not succumb to intimidations and pressure to abandon the hustler nation. 

“We will walk together in the transformation of our country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Mueke said they were dedicated to changing the way the politics of Ukambani is conducted to lean more on people-centred issues.