Ruto corrects Gachagua, says all Kenyans deserve equal share of national cake
President William Ruto (second right) with Siaya Governor James Orengo and other leaders during the groundbreaking ceremony for Urenga Level IV Hospital in Ugenya, Siaya County on Friday, October 6.
What you need to know:
- Deputy Gachagua is on record for saying Kenya is like a limited company with shareholders whose interests come first.
- However, the President on Friday said no Kenyan should be discriminated against because of their political stand.
President William Ruto has differed with his deputy Rigathi Gachagua over the sharing of national resources, saying no region deserves to be discriminated against based on their voting patterns during the last General Election.
While committing to deliver his campaign promises, President Ruto stated that all Kenyans deserve to be served equally and that he will ensure he visits every corner of the country to commission development projects without discrimination.
The Head of State, who was speaking in Urenga, Siaya County on the first day of his tour of Luo Nyanza, pledged to work with all the regions and ensure that all taxpayers benefit from their taxes and the national resources.
"Let nobody tell you that you are out of this government. You pay taxes and you are Kenyans. This is your government. I will not allow any part of Kenya to be discriminated against in terms of development on the basis of political affiliation," President Ruto said.
Deputy Gachagua is on record for saying Kenya is like a limited company with shareholders whose interests come first then others who never played a part in forming the Kenya Kwanza government, comes later.
Mr Gachagua is also on record for saying those who overwhelmingly supported Dr Ruto in his quest for the presidency deserve a bigger share of the national cake.
However, the President on Friday said no Kenyan should be discriminated against because of their political stand.
"It is primitive and backward for anybody to imagine that any region of Kenya cannot get development on account of how they voted. That is not correct and I want to assure the people of Kenya that we will move together as one nation," said Dr Ruto.
He said elections are now over and that all political leaders should come together and work for the interest of the electorate.
"When we are done with politics it is the electorate who are our bosses and we must work for them. The only debt we have for the people is development," he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Siaya Governor James Orengo who also reiterated that every region should be developed irrespective of political affiliation.
The governor lauded the President for visiting Nyanza, urging him to continue doing the same in other regions. Mr Orengo also asked the president not to weaponize development projects.
And in a clear attack on a section of ODM leaders who had decided to work with Dr Ruto in the name of bringing development to their constituencies, Mr Orengo described them as hypocrites who do not understand their mandates as enshrined in the onstitution of Kenya 2010.
"I don't agree that one has to be part of the government for them to benefit from development. If that is what you believe in then you do not understand the Constitution. The Constitution states that the President must visit every corner of the country and deliver development for Kenyans. That is petty politics," Orengo said.
He asked the President to be free to work with Azimio la Umoja Governors for development
His remarks were contrary to those of his deputy Mr William Oduol and other ODM rebel MPs who stressed the need to work with the government for the sake of development.
"If the president can visit here and bring such development. It us now clear that we have to work with the government," said Mr Oduol.
Mr Oduol as well as MPs Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Caroli Omondi (Suba South) and Mr David Ochieng (Ugenya) asked the residents to support the Kenya Kwanza government to benefit from development programmes.
The President was accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Eliud Owalo (ICT and Digital Economy), Susan Nakumicha (Health), Interior Principal Secretary Mr Raymond Omollo, Majority Leader of the National Assembly Mr Kimani Ichung'wah and John Kiarie (MP, Dagoreti South).
Other MPs present were Mathias Robi (Kuria West), Mr Marwa Kitayama (Kuria East) and Mr John Makali (Kanduyi).
President Ruto laid the foundation stone for Urenga Health Centre and allocated Sh100 million more towards its elevation to a Level Four facility.
Initially, the national government had set aside Sh57 million with the county government setting aside a similar amount towards the same project.
The President emphasized the importance of the project saying it will increase the accessibility of healthcare.
The Head of State also committed Sh30 million towards the construction of Siriwo rice mill plant which the county government had allocated Sh60 million for its establishment. This was after Mr Orengo asked the head of State to support the project.
The President promised to return to in Ugenya in December to launch the affordable housing project in Siaya that will have 5,000 housing units and employ more than 7,000 youths.
