Deputy President William Ruto’s lieutenants have launched a campaign against President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Head of State’s planned tour of the Mt Kenya region.
The country’s second in command, whose relationship with his boss soared in 2018 after political truce between the Head of State and ODM boss Raila Odinga, together with his trusted lieutenants, more so those from the vote-rich Mount Kenya, seem to have started whipping up emotions against Mr Kenyatta.
The Tangatanga lawmakers have resorted to the scathing attack on President Kenyatta whenever they are visiting the region to sell the ‘Hustler Nation’ narrative by pushing the message that he neglected Mt Kenya, is responsible for traders and farmers’ woes and abandoned the Big Four agenda in favour of his partnership with Mr Odinga.
While in Naivasha, Nakuru County on Wednesday, the DP’s lieutenants used the opportunity to elucidate to the locals that the problems they are currently facing is because of Mr Kenyatta’s administration, accusing him of failing to intervene.
They pointed accusing fingers at coastguards for frustrating fishermen on Mr Kenyatta’s watch, pitting the people against the President.
When on campaign trail in Kirinyaga County last Saturday, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua, a key point man of the DP in the region, said the President’s planned tour will mortify him in the region as he will have questions to answer.
He raised emotive issues ranging from Mau Mau land to eviction of people in Nairobi in what President Kenyatta’s allies have interpreted as a move to incite residents against the Head of State, who is the region’s kingpin.
“When you (the President) come, you should explain to us that you had told us that Raila is not a good leader and what has suddenly made him a good person. When will the Mau Mau get their land back? he asked.
“Why did you keep quiet when police were evicting our people in Nyamakima, Kariobangi and Ruai during Covid-19 when they were facing a lot of problems?” Mr Gachagua added, referring to eviction of people who had illegally built on road reserves.
Kandara MP Alice Wahome, another Ruto ally from the region, blamed Jubilee for slowing down economic growth.
“The person who has deteriorated our economy is President Kenyatta. We gave him a job, but in the middle, he started issues of ‘Kitendawili’ and he is now planning to bring ODM, Azimio, to our region. We love Uhuru but we do not want him to bring ‘Kitendawili’,” she said.
And yesterday, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, another Ruto man from the mountain, alleged that the falling-out between the President and his deputy was about “looting” even as he added that the Head of State should elucidate to the people of Mount Kenya why certain agencies are harassing businesspeople from the region.
"Again, the President should come and tell us why he only directs the Directorate Criminal Investigations (DCI) to harass the people of Mt Kenya region, why Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) only targets the people of the Mt Kenya region," said Mr Nyoro, referring to traders who are in court for tax evasion and importation of substandard goods.
Mr Gachagua told the Nation : “He is free to come and give us reasons why we should abandon Ruto and support Raila, whom he told us, many times, is the cause of all our problems. We are grown-ups and intelligent people who have the capacity to interrogate his explanation and analyse whether it makes sense.”
But allies of the President, led by Majority Leader in the National Assembly Amos Kimunya and Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, said DP Ruto’s camp is trying to water down the planned visit because they have panicked.
“We understand the panic they are in when they imagine that Uhuru will come to the region and speak directly to the people about why they cannot be trusted to form the next government, even as he explains where he will vote himself, and why,” said Mr Wambugu.
The Nyeri Town MP, who is also the convener of the Mt Kenya Focus Group, said they are not worried about what the DP’s allies have been telling locals, arguing it will all disappear when the President starts his tour on a date yet to be set.
“They have lied to Kenyans, misrepresented themselves, and manipulated the general public. Uhuru had the capacity to destroy everything they think they have achieved, overnight. This is because they have been running an agenda based on lies and propaganda, while he has truth, facts and tangible benefits to show,” he explained.
Mr Wambugu went on: “Initially, they insisted that Uhuru would not come to mashinani. Uhuru ignored them. Now when they have realised he will actually come, they are trying to divert Uhuru and the public’s attention to an agenda they want to set. Again, I am sure Uhuru will ignore them and focus on his agenda, as he’s always done. But we know and they know, Uhuru will destroy their lies and propaganda permanently.”
Mr Kimunya, who is also Kipipiri MP, told the Nation that the Head of State has a clear agenda for the country that cannot be vanquished through “propaganda” by United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
“The President’s programme and messages to the nation can never be based on the whims and misinformation by the UDA propaganda machinery,” he said.
