Uhuru allies: Ruto used ‘propaganda’ to beat Raila in Mt Kenya
Azimio coalition leader Raila Odinga (left) and Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni in Nairobi on September 17, 2022.
Allies of former President Uhuru Kenyatta in Mt Kenya region have regretted the August 9 Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party loss in the region.
The leaders maintained that the voters made an uninformed decision by rejecting the coalition’s presidential candidate Raila Odinga.
Speaking in Mathioya Constituency on Saturday, they said they still believe Mr Kenyatta is best suited for the role of Mt Kenya kingpin even in retirement.
By so declaring, they appeared to trash the belief that Deputy President Mr Rigathi Gachagua is the area kingpin by virtue of being the second-highest ranked government official.
Led by Jubilee Party Director of Elections Kanini Kega, they insisted that President William Ruto used deceit and propaganda to edge them out of elective positions in the region.
They were speaking during the burial ceremony of former Mathioya MP Peter Kimari's father.
Dr Ruto cumulatively garnered over 80 per cent of Mt Kenya votes and his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) swept nearly all elective seats in the August 9 General Election.
“Kenyatta had charted an express highway for Mt Kenya region to reach political Canaan...in his wisdom, his wish was for us to vote for Mr Raila Odinga," Mr Kega said. He said he regretted Azimio's defeat by Ruto's UDA.
"If we had a chance to vote again, I would seek guidance from Mr Kenyatta," he said.
Among those who attended the burial ceremony were outgoing Transport CS James Macharia, former Gatanga MP Mr Nduati Ngugi and former Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) board chairman Kembi Gitura.
Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni said Azimio was defeated in Mt Kenya through an elaborate conspiracy by the Ruto team.
Mr Ngugi said the Jubilee Party in Mt Kenya region should be restructured to be in sync with the current political landscape.
He said the party must remain vigilant and monitor how Mt Kenya region's interests are being catered for in the current administration, especially on resource allocation.
He said Mr Kenyatta had tried his best but the voice of the voters prevailed.
He said projects worth billions of shillings have been approved for implementation in the Mt Kenya region and are awaiting budgetary allocation.
"At the end of the day, projects that transform lives are key. Mr Kenyatta was truly committed to that cause and it is our hope that this will continue," he said.
Mr Gitura said major projects like the Mau Mau, Kenol-Sagana-Marua, Gatanga-Njabini roads and others that have stalled should be completed.
Speaking in Kirinyaga County on Saturday as he launched the Sh20 billion Thiba Dam, Dr Ruto said no new road will be constructed until the stalled ones are completed.
Dr Ruto accused Azimio leaders of resorting to public incitement where all manner of declarations are made.
Dr Ruto accused Mr Kenyatta's policy advisors of driving Kenya into debts, and subsidy programmes that never yielded results.
