Not even teargas will stop Ruto’s march to State House- DP’s allies

MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto (pictured above) have declared that no amount of intimidation will stop them from backing his 2022 State House march.

Speaking during a fundraiser at African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) in Kenol, Kandara, Murang’a County; the legislators said Ruto’s support in the Mt Kenya region was too deep to be removed.

When called by Kandara MP Alice Wahome to give her speech, Nominated MP Cecily Mbarire declared that time is ripe for Ruto to steer the wheels of country’s leadership.

 “The time has come for Ruto to take Kenya forward. They will not stop him even with teargas,” said Mbarire.

Former Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale, who decamped from ANC urged voters from Mt Kenya region to back Ruto’s bid, saying other regions have embraced his candidature.

“If hustler (Ruto) gets votes here in Mt Kenya, then votes from Rift Valley from Eastern because we have Johnston Muthama here, from Coast and add that to my 4 million votes from Western, he will win,” Khalwale said.

Ruto was accompanied by a group of serving MPs and senators- an event that was marred with chaos in the preliminary stages.

Some of the leaders who accompanied the DP Ruto include Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Kimani Ichungwah (Kikuyu), Bonny Khalwale (former Kakamega senator), Cecily Mbarire (Nominated), Purity Ngirici (Kirinyaga Woman Representative), Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), William Cheptumo (Baringo North), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Benjamin Washiali (Mumias East), Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet), Millicent Omanga (Nominated), Johana Ng’eno (Emurua Dikirr), Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho), and Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira) among many others.

Earlier, police lobbed teargas at the church after two opposing groups of young men clashed in the area. One person was feared dead as others sustained injuries in the process.

The chaotic scenes that brought Kenol to a standstill before the fundraiser formed fodder for discussions as the legislators aimed their guns at other leaders.

Blame games

Leaders drawn from Mt Kenya aimed their guns at Interior and National Planning Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i and his Principal Secretary Dr Karanja Kibicho, as they accused the duo of using the police to orchestrate chaos.

“It is not possible that we have a government we elected very early in the morning now fighting the people even into the Church. I think we would have to do a cleansing ceremony after this. Let us condemn in the strongest possible manner,” Said Wahome, who was the host MP.

She claimed that area leaders among them Governor Mwangi Wa Iria and Woman Rep Sabina Chege had conspired to stop the event due to political reasons.

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro alleged a female leader had gone for cash from a ministry after which she paid some young men at Thika Greens to disrupt the DP’s meeting. 

Same allegations were shared by Mathira Rigathi Gachagua saying when young men in the area refused the offer, the female leader opted to use the police officers.

He then lashed at CS Matiang’i for abetting the chaotic scenes witnessed in the area on Sunday morning.

“Huyu Matiang’i atakuja kuharibu legacy yako. You think you are very popular but God will punish you.

Uhuru I know cannot lob teargas in a church,” he said.

What followed was an assurance that no amount of intimidations would pluck off their support from Ruto.

He said: “Fred Matiang’i if there is teargas you can send into the hearts of the Kikuyu community then look for it.”

But speaking to Standard Digital after the incident, Murang’a Woman Rep Sabina Chege distanced herself from the incident saying the chaos had been stage-managed to tarnish her name.