Ruto camp plans meeting on State House bid, their welfare

Deputy President William Ruto’s allies say they will meet at his home in Karen, Nairobi County, on Monday for a consultative meeting touching on matters including his State House bid and their welfare at Jubilee Party.

According to South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro, they are set to have a Parliamentary Group (PG) Meeting to put their house in order as Parliament resumes on Tuesday.

“Yes we will have a normal PG tomorrow at the ‘hustler’s’ mansion. It is a normal meetup to start the year as we resume sessions in Parliament,” he told the Nation.

The Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) is also likely to feature prominently at the gathering.

Dr Ruto has been cagey about the direction he will take if his call for consensus is not accepted.

But while he has harshly criticised the proposed constitutional changes and those pushing for them, he has said he is not pushing for a ‘No’ vote.

“I have not said I am opposed to the BBI. I am saying that the people are asking questions. Come and give them answers. Bring them the copies [of the document] and they will decide. They are not stupid; they will decide,” he said at the Coast on Sunday.

Party contributions

Mr Caleb Kositany, Jubilee Party’s Jubilee Deputy Secretary-General and the DP’s de-facto spokesperson, also hinted at a meeting but was non-committal about the forces pushing for it, even as county assemblies continue to decide their positions on the BBI.

Mr Kositany said, however, that the majority of DP’s allies want to stop making contributions to the party and will soon meet to decide when to make the move.

Keiyo South MP Daniel Rono, another staunch ally of the DP’s, said they will meet for talks on how strengthen their position on a number of issues at Parliament.

Vocal Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said that since they are frustrated in the ruling party, they will raise concerns about making contributions.

“Over 100 MPs want to stop their contributions to the ruling party. In fact, some of us want to leave roughly Sh1,000 to that party,” said Mr Sudi.

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa said: “We will discuss a myriad of issues pertinent to our State House bid and welfare. We also want to re-channel our party contributions and leave a paltry Sh1,000.”

The politicians denied claims of a scheme to frustrate the government’s agenda in Parliament, saying they will support President Uhuru Kenyatta so he can finish his term in peace.

“Monday’s meeting will be all about consultation on a number of things. It is not true that we will be planning how to frustrate Uhuru’s agenda,” Mr Kosaitany said.

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