Power deal: Mudavadi eyes 30 per cent stake in Ruto's government

ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi yesterday said he has been promised a 30 per cent stake in government if Deputy President William Ruto wins the presidency. 

Yesterday, Mr Mudavadi told Vihiga residents and the larger Western to support Kenya Kwanza candidates because they offer a better deal compared to their Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya counterparts.

“We have agreed that between ANC, UDA and Ford Kenya as the founding parties, the Luhya community and Western at large will get 30 per cent share of the government,” he said.

“Ask Azimio what they are giving the people of western Kenya, because here Wetang’ula and I have negotiated a 30 per cent stake in the next government.”

Mr Mudavadi reiterated that he shelved his presidential ambitions for the sake of the people of Western.

“If I was a selfish person, I would not have negotiated for our people. It’s not about what I will gain as a person but what the people will get. I am looking for the well-being of our people, their food security and business growth,” he said.

Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula said he was confident Kenya Kwanza team will form the government. Speaking during the Vihiga Economic Forum at Nyang’ori Bible College, yesterday, Dr Ruto promised to work with Mr Mudavadi in ensuring Western benefits from Kenya Kwanza government if he wins the presidency.

“Mudavadi is a good man with a good stand and he has sacrificed a lot to help his own people. He has demonstrated that he has the capacity to make sacrifices for his people,” said the DP.

Desires of voters

Mr Mudavadi said the economic forums were a strategy aimed at ensuring Kenya Kwanza captures the aspirations and desires of voters across all the 47 counties.

“The economic forum is not political but a platform to listen to everybody. The people have a chance to set the agenda and that is how different it is from what our competitors are doing,” he said.

The ANC leader maintained that the Luhya community has no space in Azimio but a high chance to be in the next government through Kenya Kwanza. Mr Wetang’ula said the country will benefit a lot from Kenya Kwanza’s bottom-up economic model. 

“Mudavadi and myself can be presidents but we knew it would be easier if we unite and support DP Ruto,” he said.

Present were Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi, Beatrice Adagala (Vihiga Woman Rep) and Vihiga MP Ernest Kagesi.

Dr Ruto promised that all the 47 counties will have a stake in his government.

He said Kenya Kwanza will listen to Kenyans and agree on the projects each county will get if he is elected president in August 9 General Election.

“We shall enter into a binding deal with the voters in terms of what each county will get if we form the next government,” said the DP.

The event brought together business people, professionals and farmers from the six sub-counties of Vihiga.

The leaders are expected to attend similar events in Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties.

Dr Ruto said demands of voters from each county will be assessed and factored into Kenya Kwanza’s blueprint.

Economic development

“We will go around the nation and after these economic meetings each one of you will have to write what they want to be done in terms of economic development, farming, small businesses and infrastructure, and we shall sign a charter,” he said.

Dr Ruto said the meetings were anchored on the bottom-up economic approach.

He said UDA, ANC and Ford-Kenya parties were united because they had shared priorities of reviving the country’s economy.

Residents urged the Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate to ensure cheap loans for small and medium enterprises and affordable farm inputs.

They also called for creation of job opportunities.

The DP promised that his government will allocate Sh50 billion for microfinance sector to enable women access loans for table banking.

“This will allow business people to borrow at a cheap rate of three per cent per annum and help our small businesses grow. We had planned this early but we wanted to validate it with your views during such an engagement,” he said.