Livondo remarks: Ruto warns against inflammatory comments at rallies
Deputy President William Ruto addresses a crowd in Githunguri constituency yesterday. He was accompanied by many of his allies from the region.
Deputy President William Ruto yesterday warned politicians against making reckless utterances that could threaten peace ahead of the August 9 General Election.
The DP said some remarks in political rallies could threaten Kenya’s unity as the country heads to the elections.
“We should desist from making utterances that could divide Kenyans. Let us advance our policies without the rhetoric,” the DP said during a Sunday service at St John’s Catholic Church in Maua, Meru County.
Dr Ruto spoke a day after politician Stanley Livondo sensationally alleged that there had been attempts to assassinate President Kenyatta. Dr Ruto did not, however, directly attribute to the allegations by Mr Livondo.
During the thanksgiving ceremony for Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria at Thika Stadium on Saturday, Mr Livondo claimed that some individuals had in the past planned to assassinate the President.
Mr Kuria yesterday distanced himself from Mr Livondo’s comments, asking the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to probe the claims he described as reckless.
In Meru, the DP said Kenyans will not elect leaders on account of how much noise they made in political rallies but on the policies they advanced to the electorate.
“All of us as leaders should be careful in what we say during these campaigns. Let us talk about issues and advance our policies so that we keep our country united. Kenyans are intelligent enough to decide which ones are favourable to them and they will elect leaders who they believe will be capable to deliver their promises,” Dr Ruto said.
Speaking in several rallies in Meru County on Saturday and Sunday, the DP told Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga to stop hanging on the hope that Mr Kenyatta would help him win the hearts of voters in Mt Kenya, saying the ODM leader “should come and face me”.
“Let him come out and stop hiding behind the President. He should be ashamed because he wants to ride on the successes of the Jubilee administration that we have achieved with my boss,” Dr Ruto said.
The DP said he was the best to lead the nation after President Kenyatta retires in August, saying he would complete the projects they started with Mr Kenyatta in the Big Four agenda.
He was accompanied by Kenya Kwanza Alliance leaders Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford-Kenya), MPs Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) and senators Mithika Linturi (Meru) and Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka Nithi).
MPs Gichunge Kabeabea (Tigania East), Kubai Kiringo (Igembe Central), John Paul Mwirigi (Igembe Central), Kathuri Murungi (Imenti South) and John Mutunga (Tigania West) also attended.
Mr Linturi said the President had failed the people of Meru. “We respect the President but when he comes to the region, ask him about the Mau Mau roads he promised us. We don’t have an inch of those roads in Meru and he should give us the reason for that,” he said.
Speaking at Kiutine and Kanuni areas in Igembe South, Mr Mudavadi asked Kenyans not to elect Mr Odinga, saying the former Prime Minister was unfit to head the nation.
The Kenya Kwanza leaders piled pressure on Governor Kiraitu Murungi to stop dealing with Azimio la Umoja with his Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP).
“I want to appeal to my friend Kiraitu, who is lawyer like me, to stop wasting time with Azimio. He should come and I will make arrangements on how he will work with Kenya Kwanza,” said Mr Kindiki.
Dr Ruto is today meeting leaders during his second day of the tour and is also expected to hold rallies in various parts of Meru.
