William Ruto deputy? No way, says Moses Wetang’ula

 Deputy President William Ruto with Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula in Bungoma on Friday.

Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula has turned down an offer to decamp from the Opposition and back Deputy President William Ruto for the 2022 State House race.

Mr Wetang’ula told off politicians from Western region allied to the DP who endorsed him as Mr Ruto’s running mate.

National Assembly Majority Whip Benjamin Washiali (Mumias East) and deputy Minority Leader Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini) led their colleagues in asking Wetang’ula to work closely with Ruto.

“We recognise Wetang’ula as a senior politician in this region, we urge him to sit close to the DP,” said Washiali insisting that they wanted the Ford-Kenya boss to become the Deputy President and guarantee Western a place in the next government. Mr Wamalwa, an ally of Wetang’ula, said the region cannot afford to remain in the cold again in 2022, and described Ruto as a good neighbour known by his actions.

“We must plan ahead or else other people would plan for us, Wetang’ula should be Ruto’s deputy,” said the vocal Ford-Kenya lawmaker.

Others who told Wetang’ula to work with Ruto include Mwambu Mabonga (Bumula), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Malulu Injendi (Malava) Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani), Dan Wanyama (Webuye West) and Sirisia’s John Waluke.

They were speaking at Butonga Secondary School in Bungoma during a funds drive presided over by Mr Rutowho donated Sh5 million.

But Wetang’ula said he was not ready to play second fiddle, saying the leaders asking him to back Ruto must realise that he is a presidential candidate too. “I’m at home and have listened a lot, I’m on a journey and Ford-Kenya has picked me as the party presidential torchbearer,” he said.

The senator explained that he felt obliged to accompany Ruto because he came to initiate development projects in the area.

“We also met President Uhuru over development issues in western, this is in the spirit of the handshake.”

Wetang’ula told Ruto that Rift Valley had its share of the leadership of the country, observing that it was not yet clear Jubilee will give him the canidature.

“We shall start talking about collaboration once Jubilee picks a presidential candidate,” said Wetang’ula, adding “wewe endelea, tukikutana huko mbele sawa, tusipokutana sawa (just forge ahead, we may meet or not).

Ruto reminded Wetang’ula of the mistreatment the latter suffered in NASA.

“You voted overwhelmingly for our competitors in the last elections giving them 90 per cent of total votes, however, you ended up benefiting more from the 10 per cent you gave us,” said Ruto.

He said western Kenya had benefited a lot from Jubilee Government which gave the region three Cabinet slots, several Principal Secretaries among others. 

“You have Cabinet Secretaries Eugene Wamalwa (Sports) and Rashid Echesa (Sports and Heritage) Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka, Chief Whip among many other slots,” argued Ruto.

He left the crowd in stitches after suggesting that ODM has stripped Wetang’ula and several other legislators insignificant slots they had been given at the Senate and National Assembly.

“Kule kwingine Wetang’ula alipigwa shoka (Wetang’ula was humiliated by ODM) said Ruto referring to the decision by the Orange party to remove him as Minority leader.

Washiali said ODM leader Raila Odinga should be the last person to call for a referendum since he convinced Kenyans to vote for the 2010 Constitution.

“He should take a back seat and let Kenyans deliberate on the matter, his time is up,” he said.