DP William Ruto's advice on how to ensure Uhuru Kenyatta wins in next election

EMBU: Deputy President William Ruto has once again urged parties forming the Jubilee coalition to amalgamate into a single party in 2017 elections to bolster unity and end division of Kenyans along tribal lines.

Both President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Ruto have advocated Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) as a party of choice for their 2017 re-election bid.

Ruto delivered his JAP message in Embu where he was accompanied by Mt Kenya East MPs affiliated to President Kenyatta's The National Alliance and Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi's Alliance Party of Kenya (APK). Some leaders elected on APK ticket like Meru Governor Peter Munya are opposed to JAP.

"We can't be seeking unity of Kenyans while we are in different parties. In 2017, we will do politics under JAP and we will support President Uhuru's bid for a second term in office," Ruto said.

Ruto, who was accompanied by Embu Governor Martin Wambora, Senator Lenny Kivuti, and MPs Muriuki Njagagua (Mbeere North), John Muchiri (Manyatta, Cecily Mbarire (Runyenjes), Rose Mitaru (Embu) and Equity Bank Chief Executive Officer James Mwangi, said voters have final say on who gets re-elected.

The DP, who was in Embu to launch various programmes, said he and Uhuru decided to work with APK, Party of National Unity and New Ford Kenya in a bid to form an all-inclusive Government that would be strong enough to deliver its mandate to the electorate.

He said in 2017, they would field a single candidate in one party and urged other Kenyans to leave their individual parties and join JAP.

The DP also urged political leaders in various counties to give each other a chance to deliver to their people noting that locals will then use the power of the ballot to decide who to give a second chance.

On Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Kindiki Kithure told Mt Kenya East residents to support Uhuru's 2017 presidential bid and rally behind Ruto in 2022. Prof Kindiki said in 2022, Central Kenya voters should reciprocate the support they have enjoyed from Rift Valley.

"Voters from this region must be careful. We have all along supported candidates from Central Kenya. In 2022, they too should return the favour and support me as Ruto's running mate," he said.

IMPLEMENT PROJECTS

The Embu leaders called for unity in the county and in the country to allow the governments to implement development projects that would benefit Kenyans.

Wambora told Government officials to respect a Council of Governors Summit convention that was attended by both Uhuru and Ruto, where they agreed on sharing of mechanical equipment for building roads and other infrastructural works.

He said despite his administration and other governors taking audit of the machines in their counties, the national government was yet to release them and this had impeded their efforts in repairing and upgrading roads.

He said the sharing of machines was pegged at 80 per cent for national government and 20 per cent for county government.