Ruto says opinion polls will not distract his development plans

Deputy President William Ruto (PHOTO: FILE)

NAIROBI, KENYA: Deputy President William Ruto on Thursday said national government would continue supporting the counties in their push for more development.

Dismissing Wednesday opinion poll on corruption perception in the country which puts him top, the DP noted that the government in the last six years has put resources in modernization of roads and power connectivity.

“In the last six years of our leadership, we have put massive resources in the modernisation of roads and intensified power connectivity to households and businesses. Our goal is to make Kenya business friendly and attract foreign investments,” he said.

Mr Ruto said the government would give 30 milk coolers to Kirinyaga County so as to add value that would see farmers earn more and create employment opportunities for the youths.

He said together with President Uhuru Kenyatta, he is focused on serving Kenyans and ensuring the government realises its development plans.

The Deputy President spoke during a breakfast meeting with the Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru and 33 members of the county assembly from the region.

Ruto said he had become a punching bag for political lightweights in the country, observing that “the constant, perennial and unending headlines and opinion polls is sponsored by our competitors because they cannot match our development records”.

“When they are through with the headlines and the corruption propaganda, let us meet at the development arena of the people of Kenya because that is where the real contest is, and we will not allow them to take us to an arena that has no benefit to Kenyans,” he said.

He added: “We have beaten them in serving Kenyans, now they have opted to fake opinion polls. As a matter of fact, they will never match our development records.”

The Deputy President urged his competitors to focus on issue-based politics rather than going into an “arena of fake opinion polls and fake stories”.

While promising to support Mr Ruto’s presidential bid in 2022, Ms Waiguru observed that “even though we were advised to stop politicking, those attacking us would get stronger political attacks going forward”.