Don't forget how we got here, Ruto tells allies

**Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua with President William Ruto attended the Akurino faithful for their Annual Prayer Conference at Nakuru Boys' High School, Nakuru County.** [PCS]

President William Ruto has appealed to his allies not to forget how they got to power and where they are.

While speaking at Akurino’s National Prayer Conference at Nakuru High School in Nakuru said he is still grateful for the far God had taken them.

“Viongozi wenzangu, waswahili husema heshima si utumwa. Mimi nataka tuheshimanae na tufanye kazi kwa pamoja,” Ruto said.

This loosely translates to, “My fellow leaders, Wisemen say respect is earned. I am urging all of us to respect one another and work together as we agreed”.

Ruto added, “Mnajua mahali tulianza na vile Mungu ametusaidia. Tumefika hapa sio kwa kujua, sio kwa bidii bali kwa maombi. Jamani tusije tusahau hayo.

(Do not forget where we started and how we got here... It was not our doing or in our knowledge but by prayer. Let us not forget that prayer got us here)

The Head of state said the Kenya Kwanza brigade agreed to walk and work together.

“I intend to keep that promise of walking with and mentoring the young politicians. I will be more proud that I mentored politicians who have become better than me,” he said.

Ruto said towards the 2022 General Election, his team wanted him to have a youthful person as his deputy but he stood his ground and chose to work with Rigathi Gachagua.

“Gachagua is my age mate and we can agree on many things. I told them that although I had made an unpopular choice in Gachagua, I would not fail them and that is why today I am proud of the good work they are doing in parliament,” Ruto said.

On Saturday, President Ruto convened a crisis meeting for the top UDA organ and read a riot act for them to respect each other and to commit to serving Kenyans.

Sources within the meeting told the Standard that an agitated Ruto asked the party officials to solve their differences internally instead of tearing each other in public.

Factions have emerged in UDA with the one allied to the president disparaging Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua describing him as a tribalist for his Mt Kenya unity clarion call and his push for a one-man one-vote one-shilling revenue sharing formula.

Gachagua’s team has vowed to politically deal with any leader from Mt Kenya region who is not supporting him claiming that some of the President's allies were interfering with the region's politics and undermining the DP.