Tangatanga MPs blame Uhuru for graft, say Ruto ideal 2022 choice

Parliamentarians from Western Kenya, who are in the Tangatanga political faction, have accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of presiding over graft at the public’s expense.

Benjamin Washiali (Mumias East), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Malulu Injendi (Malava), Dan Wanyama (Webuye West) and Mwambu Mabongah (Bumula) said Mr Kenyatta will likely leave a bad legacy as a result.

His Big Four agenda will not materialise, they said on Saturday during a meeting at Mr Barasa’s home, convened to drum up support for Deputy President William Ruto’s bid for the presidency.

As many cases of corruption continue to haunt his administration, President Kenyatta has said he will not relent in the war against the vice and has told corrupt officials that they will carry their own crosses. He has also challenged the Judiciary to deliver big fish convictions.

Many cases

Mr Washiali looked back at the nationwide Huduma number registration and told the President that it has not been forgotten.

"Before he leaves office, he should tell Kenyans what happened with the Huduma number or else the Sh8 billion registration will be the worst case of graft," he said.

On the plan to lease five state-owned sugar millers, he said Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa should stop misleading the people as “the government is planning to sell them out to private investors”.

Mr Barasa said DP Ruto is qualified to lead the nation and added, "Our economy is crumbling because some people in the government have personal interests [and deals] with the people about to buy the leading sugar factories. We have prepared a mass grave to bury them politically. We can't afford to let our factories be leased to private investors.”

Regarding a Covid-19 supplies and donor funds scandal in the Health ministry, the Kimilili MP asked Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe to “smell the coffee, swallow his pride and step aside”.

"Donor countries have threatened to cut funding owing to the high level of corruption," he noted.

Luhya unity

The politicians, who were accompanied by former Kakamega Senator Boniface Khalwale and a host of MCAs, campaigned at Siuna village, Kibingei Ward.

They have been meeting at their homes over the weekends to drum up support for DP Ruto’s bid. 

They further called on the Luhya community to strive to be in the next government as it has been in the cold for decades. 

They said the Jubilee government is in autopilot mode following President Kenyatta’s handshake with Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.

Mr Washiali called on Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford-Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang'ula (Bungoma senator) to join DP Ruto's camp.

"If they continue dilly dallying, they will take Luhyas into the Opposition. Let them join Ruto's bandwagon as he is a true leader," he said, adding the agenda is for the Western region to benefit after the 2022 General Election.

"We need to develop our region. The only leader who can help us is Ruto. He is a sure bet so let's all rally behind him. He has a huge support base."

Ruto support

MP Wanyama also asked Luhyas to unite and back the DP ahead of the next election, saying, "The majority of Kenyans have been subjected to more suffering because of the handshake. We can't allow Kenyans to continue being suffocated by their friendship".

Mr Mabongah said, "We will support William Ruto. We won't support Raila Odinga. Our people have suffered in the hands of Odinga. Ruto has been all over launching development projects.”

While accusing CS Wamalwa of misleading the community into rallying behind Mr Odinga, he said Luhyas will be given the direction to follow as “they can't afford to be in the Opposition”.

Mr Khalwale accused Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Bungoma’s Wycliffe Wangamati and CS Wamalwa of misleading the Luhya community into the Odinga axis.

"We don't want to keep our people in the past. We want to take you to the Kenya of the future and develop our country. We want to fight corruption.”

He also accused the media of creating differences between the President and the DP, warning this will create the notion that Dr Ruto is fighting Mr Kenyatta.

Mr Injendi said, “We won't leave Ruto. We know Raila is not a good partner and has caused havoc in Jubilee so he can't be trusted. He has caused the sacking of people allied to Ruto in both the Senate and the National Assembly.