• Ruto says Raila Odinga through his brigade, is pushing a motion in parliament to cap church donations to Sh100,000.
• Says just like going to church, church donation is voluntary and instructed in scriptures and any move to control that is re-writing the bible which he termed as blasphemy.
Image: DPPS
Deputy President William Ruto on Saturday hit back at the opposition leader Raila Odinga over Church donations.
Ruto while speaking in Kuria of Migori county said it is hypocritical for Raila to oppose church donations yet the same is biblical.
Kuria remains one of ODM's stronghold and Raila's backyard.
Ruto's move is seen as a plot to seek votes from the region ahead of his 2022 presidential race.
Ruto said it is very unfortunate that Raila who doubles up as African Union Special Envoy for Infrastructure with his brigade are pushing a motion in parliament to cap church donations to Sh100,000.
“Raila ako kwa kitendawili (is in riddles) to take the motion against donation, let him continue making noise and challenging the bible against donation, what awaits him if God’s wrath if the motion goes through, not mine,” Ruto said.
The DP said just like going to church, church donation is voluntary and instructed in scriptures and any move to control that is re-writing the bible which he termed as blasphemy.
“As we go to church we are preparing our place in heaven, those who are controlling their destiny elsewhere are free to go,” Ruto said.
He said while Raila and his supporters are criticising him for taking donation and his money to church, 'they are busy taking their money to witch-doctors and witches at night where nobody sees them'.
He visited Kuria East and Kuria West constituencies to launch and commission several development project where he was hosted by MPs Marwa Kitayama and Mathias Robi respectively.
“Kuria must forge ahead with other Kenyans as we seek to bring unity and development in the country,” Ruto said.
He visited Chinato area in Kuria East where he sought to revive coffee farming among seven cooperatives, before launching the Isebania-Kehancha-Kegonga-Lolgorian road tarmacking and opened the Mabera Technical Training Institute.
“China with a population of over a billion has offered a ready coffee market for Kenyan produce which will make reviving such sectors to be key in development,” he said.
Ruto donated Sh3 million of his personal money to help offset Sh9 million loan of coffee farmers in the area.
He promised that part of Sh3 billion set aside by Coffee Commodities Fund will help in buying a Sh30 million mill.
In what has been seen as a means of solidifying the minority Kuria votes which accounts for estimated 100,000 of Migori’s 500,000 votes by 2022, Ruto has promised to meet leaders from the area at his home.
“I will meet with leaders from Kuria region, from current to former at my home to help chat the way forward of the community,” he said.
Kitayama and Robi lauded the Deputy President for standing with the community in development projects that’s why they were elected under the Jubilee Party ticket and community voted overwhelmingly for the party, in Migori’s ODM stronghold.
“We have those who have only been coming to Kuria to hoodwink us. We are sure as a community to support you in 2022 fully as a means of saying thank you for your support,” Kitayama said.
Robi, in a veiled attack at President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga’s handshake, said the coalition wont stop them from reaching their goal of taking Ruto to State House in 2022.
“We have those who have started making noise against Ruto, sneaking behind the State House let them know that Kuria as a community has their votes locked away in 2022 for Ruto,” Robi said.
The two leaders said they will welcome the move of community leaders meeting with Ruto.
In 2013 and 2017 elections, the Kuria community overwhemingly voted for Jubilee. While Kuria supports Jubilee, the Luo strongly supports the opposition.
The Jubilee party has in the past capitalised on the political differences between the two communities to solidify its support in Kuria.
In 2017, second presidential poll Kuria West 51,057 voters only 20,074 voters turnout with 60.6 per cent of voters staying at home.
In Kuria East constituency 35,158 voters only 13,500 voters cast their ballot with 61.6 per cent boycotting the exercise.
Uhuru won in both constituencies with 19,587 votes in Kuria West with NASA leader Raila Odinga getting only 214 votes. Ekuru Aukot (53), Abduba Dida (26), Cyrus Jirongo (14), Japeth Kaluya (19), Joseph Wainaina (7), Joseph Nyaga (26) with 128 spoilt voters.