Ruto hits out at critics of broad-based government

President William Ruto shares a light moment with Abigael during the official opening of a tuition block at the Pwani School for the Mentally Challenged in Nyali, Mombasa County on July 29, 2024. [PCS]

President William Ruto has hit out at leaders opposed to broad-based government saying that they have failed to offer an alternative plan to unite the country.

Addressing residents of Tana River County Monday, Ruto said protests are dangerous and can destroy the country and derail development programmes including youth employment.

"Kenya cannot stop functioning because of protests by a few people bent on causing anarchy. We cannot gamble with the country's security. I will protect the Constitution and I will not allow a few people to cause anarchy and destroy the country," he said.

The Head of State who dished out goodies to the region said the leadership of the country cannot be decided through chaos and mayhem but through a democratic process.

He reiterated that he decided to form a broad-based government for the sake of unity because the interests of the country come first and asked residents to back his decision.

ODM has allowed senior party officials to join Ruto's broad-based government but other opposition leaders led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka have refused to be part of the political arrangement.

Ruto who was accompanied by Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana and Senator Danson Mungatana gave a Sh450 million cheque to assist 6,000 residents affected by recent floods to rebuild their houses.

President Ruto also announced that another Sh239 million will be dished out to 7,300 locals as a hunger safety net package.

He said the government will embark on the construction of the Sh400 million irrigation canal project as part of the second phase of the Bura irrigation scheme revival.

The project will see at least 40,000 acres put under rice irrigation at the scheme.

"We are going to make Tana River County a food basket for the country. We have a plan to also revive the Hola irrigation scheme. We have invited investors from the European Union to invest in food production in Tana River," said President Ruto.

The Head of State also launched the construction of a Sh50 million market at Bangale in Bura Constituency and said the area will be supplied with water from a Sh30 million borehole that has already been sunk.

He promised that at least 6,000 residents will be connected to electricity to promote development in the county.

On the Galana Kulalu irrigation project, Ruto said Tana River and Kilifi counties should work together and support the food security plan.

He announced that the government will build a big dam that will be used for irrigation at Galana Kulalu and for watering livestock from Tana River and Kilifi c.

"The two counties should come together and support the Galana Kulalu food security project. The government is going to build a big dam that will provide water for irrigation and we will have a livestock corridor there," he said.

President Ruto has toured Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale and Taita Taveta counties.