Ruto says he prefers working with Mudavadi and Wetang'ula

Deputy President William Ruto and Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala (right) during a sports tournament at Mayuba Stadium in Sirisia, Bungoma County. [Mumo Munuve, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto has said that Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula are the only Luhya leaders he can work with and form the next government.

Ruto said other leaders from the region who are supporting Azimio La Umoja, which is being spearheaded by ODM leader Raila Odinga, are political brokers who want to auction the community to the highest bidder.

“Mudavadi and Wetang’ula are the only legitimate leaders of the Mulembe nation and as a community, you should support them. Tell them that they should join the ‘Hustler’ nation so that we can form the next government together,” said Ruto.

He went on: “I come to Western only after getting permission from Mudavadi and no one else. Those who pretend to be liberators you have supported them for the last 30 years but have ended up betraying your leaders,” he said.

The DP said he will talk with the ANC and Ford Kenya leaders to join his camp, saying Raila cannot be trusted anymore with leadership since he does not have the interests of Kenyans at heart.

He said he wants to work with the two leaders since their ideologies and those of the ‘Hustler’ nation are the same.

Ruto, who spoke yesterday during the finals of the Cleo Malala Super Cup, said the community should not allow anyone to impose leaders on them but choose them at the ballot.

Ruto said what happened during the Bukhungu II declaration was political consmanship.

The DP said leaders cannot be selected in hotels by rich political brokers, and asked them to brace for Kenyans’ decision at the ballot.

“The people who have looted from the public coffers have been meeting in hotels, and then tell us that they will chose for us who should be the next President, they have devolved the same brokerage to Bukhungu Stadium,” said Ruto.

The Deputy President was accompanied by senators Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho), Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a) and former Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale.

MPs Titus Khamala (Lurambj), Alfred Agoi (Sabatia), Charles Gimose (Hamisi), Beatrice Adagala (Vihiga Woman Rep), John Waluke (Sirisia), Benjamin Washiali (Mumias East), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Dan Wanyama (Webuye West), Mwambu Mabonga (Bumula) and former Sports CS Rashid Echesa were also present.

Senator Cheruiyot (Kericho) said Mudavadi and Wetangula should stop playing hard to find, but consider working with Ruto instead of Raila.

“There is a political broker who has ferried people to Bukhungu Stadium to replace Mudavadi with Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who will in turn tell you to support Raila. They have also formed DAP-K to fight Wetang’ula in Bungoma and the Mulembe Nation should not allow that,” said Mr Cheruiyot

He went on: “Let Mudavadi and Wetang’ula join the ‘Hustler’ nation that has the interests of everyone at heart. It’s not a must for Ruto to be the presidential candidate of the ‘Hustler’ nation; we can discuss and even have Mudavadi as our candidate if he can convince us,” he said.

Senator Cheruiyot (Kericho) said Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula should stop playing hard to find. [Mumo Munuve, Standard]

He asked leaders from the community to reject any move by a few individuals to auction them to the highest bidder, saying in Rift Valley no tribal declaration meetings are called to declare individuals as leaders.

“Leaders are elected at the ballot and not through sideshow pronouncements. Let the community stand firm and keep out political brokers from auctioning the community,” said Cheruiyot.

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala said they had given OKA principals the go-ahead to talk to their friends with a possibility of forming coalitions so long as the interests of the Luhya nation are taken care of.

“Mudavadi and Wetang’ula are free to seek a coalition agreement with DP Ruto or Raila, but our community interests must come first. What we don’t want is a scenario where we shall negotiate positions for individuals,” said Malala.

He said in the coalition agreement, it must be spelt out how the collapsed industries like Mumias and Nzoia Sugar will be revived in order to boost the region’s economy and how many people will get plum government jobs.

Malala also asked Ruto to consider shelving his presidential ambitions and support Mudavadi.

Mr Kang’ata, the Murang’a senator, asked the Mulembe nation to work with Ruto since he was a sure bet to form the next government, cautioning that the opposition do not benefit from most development projects.

Agoi, the Sabatia MP, said the Mulembe nation had decided to restore its dignity by ensuring that Mudavadi becomes the next President.

He told Ruto that Mulembe nation supported President Daniel arap Moi for 24 years and Raila for 20 years, and that there was no way Mudavadi could play second fiddle this time around.

Agoi said what happened at Bukhungu yesterday was inconsequential since the legitimate Luhya leaders were known. Barasa, the Kimilili MP, said Mudavadi and Wetang’ula should just work with Ruto and stop playing hard to get.