Meru leaders vow to back Ruto 2022 State House bid
Dorcas Mbatia and DPPS
Meru county leader have vowed to rally behind Deputy President William Ruto’s presidential bid in 2022.
A battery of lawmakers yesterday assured Ruto they will back his bid for the Presidency in the next General Election, adding that the move will be one of the ways of keeping the Jubilee promise.
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Legislators John Paul (Igembe South), Kubai Kiringo (Igembe Central), Gichunge Kabeabea (Tigania East), John Mutunga (Tigania west), Kathuri Murungi (Imenti South), Mugambi Rindikiri (Buuri), nominated MP Halima Mucheke, and Meru Senator Mithika Linturi said they will support Jubilee by campaigning for Ruto in Mt Kenya region.
The leaders, who accompanied the DP in his two-day tour of Meru county, urged residents to back Ruto owing to his commendable track record and commitment to steer development in the country.
Lose focus
“Let us not be deceived by the Handshake. If we are not careful this will split and bring down the Jubilee house ahead of 2022,” said Linturi.
Speaking at Ruiri in Buuri sub-county, Linturi called on all Jubilee leaders to walk in one direction and avoid being divided to ensure the party rules in the next term.
“We must have a stand on which direction we are headed. If Jubilee is going to be blinded by the Handshake relationship, I must say we will lose our focus and someone else will benefit out of it,” he added.
The senator claimed ODM leader Raila Odinga was cunningly using the Handshake to take his party to power.
Backing the sentiments, Kiringo urged the Meru community to shun leaders who are not Jubilee champions, claiming they don’t have the interest of Meru people at heart.
Break friendship
“We promise 100 per cent support for Ruto from Meru people and we will not support anybody who is not from Jubilee because there was an agreement to back Ruto after President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure expires,” said Murungi.
“We need to meet as Jubilee leaders from Mt Kenya region and decide which direction to follow ahead of the elections,” he added.
Addressing residents at Timau and Ruiri, the DP urged the Meru community not to break their friendship with Jubilee.
“Meru people are friends of Jubilee and I am asking you to continue being firm and loyal to our friendship to help us archive more goals and development in our county,” he said.
Ruto said the government is working hard to fulfil all the pledges they made to Kenyans when they ascended to power.
The lawmakers also said they will not support the proposed referendum if it goes against the Constitution.
Speaking on Saturday in the county, they said the Constitution cannot be amended “through kangaroo routes such as the Building Bridges Initiatives (BBI)”.
They said MPs and other leaders would gang up against a referendum that does not increase resources to counties.
However, Ruto asked leaders to focus on discharging their mandate. “It is the wananchi who have the final say on the referendum issue,” he said.
