Ruto to consider naming a female running mate for 2022

Deputy President William Ruto with residents of Bureti, Kericho County, after a church service yesterday. [DPPS]

Deputy President William Ruto has given a strong signal that he could pick a woman to be his running mate in the 2022 presidential contest.

The DP said he was considering President Uhuru Kenyatta’s wish for the country to one day have a female president. 

“That idea is very good. Jubilee is likely to give women the first shot towards the presidency by picking one of them as my running mate in 2022,” he said at Getarwet in Bureti Constituency. 

Ruto nonetheless reminded women eyeing the position that they had to work hard to be considered. 

Women empowerment

“Nothing is given on a silver plate. Women must work hard for the leadership of this great nation. We must therefore work to steer the country forward,” he said. 

The DP declared that the Jubilee government would continue giving women chances to assert their authority and demonstrate their leadership skills. “I want Kenyan women to have confidence that they can assist the Jubilee government in the leadership of the country,” he said. 

Ruto made the remarks during the thanksgiving ceremony of Kericho Woman Representative Florence Bore. 

Some of Ruto’s allies who accompanied him to the function used the podium to drum up support for his 2022 presidential quest. 

Belgut MP Nelson Koech and his Kipkelion West counterpart Hillary Koskei were the first to light up the political debate. 

“We are happy over the progress of Jubilee’s Big Four agenda and we’d like to declare, from Kericho, that the only person we back for the 2022 presidential race is you,” said Mr Koech. 

Bahati MP Kimani Ngujiri sought to assure members of the Kalenjin community that the pact between Uhuru and Ruto would hold through to the 2022 General Election.

“There is not even a single instance that President Kenyatta has reneged in the promise to support Ruto in 2022. The covenant which led to the merger of The National Alliance party and United Republican Party will hold forever,” he said. 

Referendum calls

The referendum debate also dominated the speeches, with Ruto’s allies rejecting proposals to create more leadership positions. 

“The country cannot afford to fund the Jubilee Big Four agenda, census, boundary review and a referendum all at the same time. What the country is ready for is the implementation of the Big Four agenda,” said Laikipia Woman Representative Catharine Waruguru.

Nonetheless, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wa welcomed the referendum calls, but said the question would determine whether they would embrace it. “If it will be a referendum aimed at creating youth employment and move the county forward, we will welcome it. However, if it will be to create employment opportunities for certain politicians, we will reject it,” he said.