Ruto blames Raila, Babu Owino after chaos rocks Embakasi rally

ODM leader Raila Odinga, Deputy President William Ruto and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino. [File, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto’s rally in Jacaranda, Nairobi was yesterday disrupted by rowdy youths who pelted stones at his supporters forcing police to lob tear gas canisters.

The area, being a perceived stronghold for ODM leader Raila Odinga and represented by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, divisions were evident from the onset with one side chanting “ODM and Azimio la Umoja” while the other responded to calls from UDA politicians on the podium.

The DP accused Raila and Babu Owino of being behind the chaos that rocked the rally.

The DP and his allies attacked the persona of Raila labelling him a “State project”.

“Those we are competing with should stop intimidating us. We will not buy into fear and threats. We have seen you’ve started to organise the youths to throw stones,” he said.

Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa termed Odinga as the biggest impediment to State unity.

“You think you have State protection to instigate violence here but the people of Kenya will not allow you to take Kenya to where you took it in 2007,” said Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa.

Ruto and his allies also scoffed at Raila’s remarks to jail corrupt leaders and challenged him to first start by prosecuting tainted individuals in his team.

“You (Raila) and Uhuru have so many corrupt individuals from Covid-19 billionaires,” said Garissa Township MP Aden Duale.

Duale accused the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Judiciary and the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai of double standards and called them to take action on masterminds of chaos instead of focusing on hate speech alone.

William Ruto’s rally in Jacaranda, Nairobi, was disrupted by rowdy youths. [Denish ochieng, Standard]

Ruto drummed support for his bottom-up economic model stating that the time for the wealthy being in power is coming to an end and promised to give priority to the poor.

He pledged to invest Sh100 billion on projects that create jobs for the youths and an additional Sh50 billion capital to small-scale traders.

The DP assured supporters that despite the chaos, it will not be his last visit in the area as he campaigns for his presidential bid.

This is not the first time Ruto’s rally has been disrupted forcing police to lob teargas canisters to disperse crowds.

In November last year, the DP’s motorcade was pelted with stones by youths in Kondele, Kisumu while on his second-day tour of the region.

The chaos in rallies and attacks on competitors’ characters come barely a week after NCIC warned politicians against hate speech, propaganda and incitement.