Respect Jubilee government, Deputy President tells critics

Kenya: Deputy President William Ruto has asked anybody eyeing to be part of the Jubilee Government to wait for 2017.

He also told the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leaders, calling for a referendum, to let the Government of the day, run affairs of the country. Addressing mourners at the burial of Mama Selina Jirongo, mother to former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, Ruto asked those left out of the Jubilee Government to wait for their turn instead of calling for inclusion all the time.

Ruto said he and President Uhuru Kenyatta would develop the entire country without bias. “We have always said all Kenyans have a right to serve in the Government. Those who lost or won in the last polls have an equal responsibility to play in developing the country,” he said in response to Amani leader Musalia Mudavadi, who had called for inclusiveness of all Kenyans in the Government.

He castigated CORD for calling for a referendum saying they vehemently fought for the Constitution and even rejected calls to amend sections of the draft.

By-election

He also urged head teachers to issues students with their certificates as the Government would clear the arrears and pay for their examination fees.

Elsewhere, the DP recently endorsed the candidature of The National Alliance (TNA) candidate for Gatundu South in the forthcoming by-election. Ruto’s move came after a section of Kiambu County and Central Kenya MPs declined to endorse the candidature of the vocal TNA activist Moses Kuria for the seat, slated for August 7.

Speaking at Karinga Girls Secondary School in Gatundu South during a fund-raiser in aid of the school that was graced by Ruto, Central Kenya MPs led by Lari MP Mburu Kahangara, his Githunguri counterpart Njoroge Baiya, Gatanga’s Humphrey Njuguna and Njogu Barua from Gichugu declined to endorse Kuria’s candidature.

The TNA lawmakers instead said residents should be allowed to elect a leader of their choice. “The people of Gatundu must be allowed to democratically elect their MP. The voice and the will of the people should always be left to prevail,” said the Gatanga MP.

The DP has at the same time said the opening of national titling centre in the Ministry of Lands has eased issuance of title deeds to Kenyans. The DP, who graced the issuance of 580 title deeds to families at Kabirer location, Tinderet Constituency said the Government established the titling center to speed title deeds acquisition. Ruto said the Government intends to issue three million titles countrywide to enable Kenyans settle and plan their economic activities to improve their living standards.

Boost education

“The title deeds would be issued to land owners who have not yet acquired the document. It is a countrywide exercise,” said Ruto. He also noted that lack of land ownership documents had locked out a majority of Kenyans from conducting meaningful economic activities to empower themselves.

And although other leaders who accompanied the DP during the exercise tore into the CORD alliance for demanding a national referendum, Ruto steered off from politics. He instead outlined government programmes on resettlement of the landless, education and agriculture.

Ruto said the Government had settled 1,000 families evicted from Kipkurere forest in Nandi, 3,000 from Mau and 2,800 from Embobut. Reprieve came to Serengonik evictees when the Deputy President gave reassurance that the remaining families would be resettled in the next one year.

“The Government has made efforts in resettling IDPs. We are calling on the rest to be patient because plans are under way to resettle them,” he said.

He also said the Jubilee government is prioritising to boost education standard and that the Free Primary Education and secondary tuition funds would be increased by 35 percent.

“There will be additional resources and I am asking school heads to ensure that the funds are accounted for in a transparent manner for parents and students get the value for it,” he said.

He said the Government is also committed to reducing poverty levels by upgrading road network in the country.

—Additional reporting by Titus Too, Rael Jelimo and Kamau Maichuhie.