• At a prayer service, Ruto deplored divisive tribal politics urged leaders to focus on service, not ethnic mobilisation.
• Ruto later departed for South Korea to finalise earlier agreements and “bring back the money.”
President William Ruto has contradicted his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, telling MPs they are free to crisscross the country at will.
Image: PCS
President William Ruto has contradicted his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, telling MPs they are free to crisscross the country at will.
His boss’s approval comes only days after Gachagua accused Kenya Kwanza politicians of roaming country and fuelling premature succession talk on ‘his’ Mt Kenya turf.
Heretofore, Ruto himself has been silent
Speaking in Uasin Gishu over last weekend, the second in-command said that it is wrong for elected leaders allied to the government to waste time moving from one constituency to another instead of serving their own people.
“I urge the MPs to stay in their constituencies and serve their people. The habit of political tourism must stop. This is what is giving us trouble,” he said at an event held at Seiyo Secondary school in the constituency.
His position was, however, sharply contradicted by the President who set the lawmakers free to traverse the country, stating that is part of their national duty.
Speaking during a church service at Amutala Stadium in Bungoma county, Ruto told the MPs not to stop moving around.
“I am happy that many MPs are here. Moving across the country will enable them to know the other mandate of legislation is oversight,” the President said.
The President was accompanied by more than 10 MPs drawn from other constituencies during the prayer service.
The crossed swords came hot on the heels of reports of a falling out in the governing party, pitting Ruto and his deputy against each other.
According to the Deputy President, politicians have hidden in the county visits to sow seeds of discord in the Central region, where he considers himself the natural kingpin.
The DP’s camp says there are influential people within State House “sponsoring” youthful leaders from the region to undermine Gachagua’s authority.
President Ruto maintained, however, that it is only through moving around that the MPs can understand their role.
“You have a duty to your constituency through representation, you also have a duty to your country through legislation and oversight,” Ruto said.
The President warned leaders in government he claimed are advancing divisive tribal politics at the expense of services to Kenyans.
Ruto, who left the country for South Korea on Sunday, said his administration will not accept ethnic mobilisation that plunged the country into a spiral of bloodshed in 2007.
“I have been in this politics for a long time, I understand the dangers of politics of dividing people across tribal lines. Please, those of you in government, don’t take that route of tribal politics,” the President urged.
The head of state urged the leaders to avoid preaching divisive politics and instead focus on the transforming the country.
"Let me request and urge all our leaders to focus their energies on the transformation of our country not on dividing Kenyans along tribal lines," he said.
The President’s sentiments were backed by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki who cautioned leaders against fuelling ethnic tensions.
“Kenya’s ugly past experience with ethnically brewed violence should jolt all of us. Whatever tongue we speak and whichever part of the country we come from, we should to resist and name and shame propagators of ethnic hate and the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ narrative that nearly destroyed Kenya,” Kindiki said.
Leaders who attended the prayer service also condemned the ongoing ethnic mobilisation in some parts of the country.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said ethnicity has no space in modern Kenya, urging leaders to shun the bias.
“Let us shun tribalism, we do not want to bring ethnicity amongst ourselves when our President is leading efforts to unite warring factions in various countries,” Mudavadi said.
“In this country, there are no small or big people, let us love one another and shun this issue of ‘my tribe’,” Wetang’ula said.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa said tribalism was brought by colonialists and afford to go back to that era, adding, "We are all Kenyans before God and we are one people."
About his Korea visit, the President explained the aim is to finalise and sign agreements initiated during his November tour.
"Today I will be jetting to Korean for three issues. Last year we agreed some things and so I am going to bring that money," Ruto said.
"These include a Sh40 billion agreement focused on the creative economy and Sh25 billion worth of equipment for construction of dams for irrigation."
Other leaders who accompanied Raila were MPs Kimani Kuria (Molo), Duncan Mathenge (Nyeri town), Kwenya Thuku (Kinangop), Dan Wanyama (Webuye West), Fred Kapondi (Mt Elgon), Fred Ikhana (Shinyalu), Kanini Kega (EALA), Sabina Chege (nominated), Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo).
Others were Senate Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi, Bungoma Senator David Wakoli, John Methu (Nyandarua), Martin Wanyonyi (Webuye East), John Makali (Kanduyi), Vihiga Woman Representative Beatrice Adagala, Malulu Injendi (Malava), John Waluke (Sirisia), Mburu Kahangara (Lari) and Robert Gichimu (Gichugu).
Health CS Susan Nakhumicha and governors Kenneth Lusaka (Bungoma), Paul Otuoma (Busia) and Fernandes Barasa (Kakamega) were in attendance.