Ruto takes his 2022 vote hunting mission to Kisii

KISII, Kenya Oct 3 – Deputy President William Ruto took his vote-hunting mission to Kisii County Sunday after addressing rallies in Nakuru on Saturday.

An itinerary issued by his office show that he was scheduled to attend a service at Deliverance Church in Kisii town before heading to Kenyenya Catholic Church.

He will thereafter address roadside rallies in Kenyenya market, Tendere, Ogembo, Ikoba, Tabaka and Suneka.

On Monday, the DP was scheduled for engagements in Bogichoncho, Etago,

Nyakembene, Nyamarambe concluding his tour in Daraja Mbili.

Ruto has intensified his campaigns to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta whose second and final term ends in August next year but he faces an uphill task due to the apparent support his main opponent Raila Odinga is getting from the state and Mt Kenya leaders, including businessmen who have endorsed the former Prime Minister.

Ruto has laughed off the support offered to Raila by the Mt Kenya Foundation, saying “I am with God and the People.”

On Saturday, he said that the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) constitution amendment was the most fraudulent and deceitful process ever undertaken in the country.

He said that the main agenda of BBI was to give the President more powers to control parliament and undermine the judiciary.

The Deputy President said that BBI proponents should stop lying to Kenyans that the initiative was meant to benefit the common Mwananchi but meant to push their selfish interests.

“How dare you tell us that you want to install an imperial president that has power to sabotage parliament through appointments, that has power to sabotage the judiciary using the ombudsman, where on earth did any Kenyan say they want an imperial president. You are telling us about all the other sweeteners in BBI, you not telling us the real truth behind the BBI project,” he said.

Ruto, who celebrated the fall of BBI after the Court of Appeal affirmed a decision of the Constitutional Court declaring the initiative null and void, made the remarks during a campaign blitz to popularize his 2022 presidential bid in meet-the-people tours that took his to three counties where he made multiple stops.

The tours mainly focused on the central region came days after tycoons from the vote-rich area hosted his chief opponent, Raila Odinga, for a luncheon during which the group led by media owner SK Macharia declared their support for his presidential bid.

The Deputy President stated that the first priority for the country was the resolution of the poor state of the economy and the employment crises in the country.

Ruto further rubbished the claims that the failure of BBI denied Kenyans the formation of new constituencies saying that the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has the power to do so.