I’m ready to face my rivals at the ballot, says William Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto addresses Kegogi residents in Kisii County on 12/8/2021.[Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto says he is prepared to face his rivals in 2022 presidential contest.

Dr Ruto, who spoke in Kisii County yesterday, defended his bottom-up economic model and rallied support for UDA. 

He addressed rallies in Kitutu Chache North, Nyaribari Masaba, Bobasi, Bomachoge, Borabu and Kitutu Chache South.

The DP claimed that all the top presidential aspirants had held plum jobs in government with nothing to show for it.

“They had power to initiate projects here and in other parts of the country. Let us get to the campaigns with proof of what we achieved when we held those powerful positions,” he said.

Ruto added: “I challenge them to show what they have done. During our tenure with President Uhuru Kenyatta, we improved roads, connected households to electricity and opened several vocational training centres.”

The DP noted that more than three million youth could borrow funds from banks because they had been blacklisted by the Credit Reference Bureau.

“Most unemployed youth are unable to pay back loans they borrowed from mobile money lenders. This is the Kenya we don’t want,” he said.

He promised to accomplish projects initiated by the current government if elected president, saying the Jubilee Party manifesto was hijacked by outsiders through the handshake and the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI). 

“We gave the promises and I have the responsibility to pay back after next year’s elections. We will achieve all that we desire. My government will not discriminate. We will give Kenyans equal opportunities,” he said.

Ruto, at the same time, said Kenyans will no longer vote for leaders along tribal lines. He told his supporters that he formed UDA to unite the country.

“We bring to you a party that has representation from all parts of the country. We have more than 160 MPs. Those interested in tribal parties should be told off. This is a new Kenya that goes beyond negative ethnicity,” the DP said.

At various stops, the Deputy President introduced UDA aspirants to the public, saying everyone had an equal opportunity to seek the party ticket.

He was accompanied by MPs Kimani Inchungwa (Kikuyu), Sylvanous Osoro (South Mugirango), Alfa Miruka (Bomachoge Chache) and Vincent Kemosi (West Mugirango). Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi skipped the DP’s tour.