Divisions widen as Moses Kuria, William Kabogo skip William Ruto's Kiambu rally

Former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo, Murang'a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria and Gatundu South Moses Kuria look at a phone in a previous event at Thika Stadium. [File, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto’s attempts to forestall a looming fallout with his allies Chama Cha Kazi leader Moses Kuria and Tujibebe Wakenya’s William Kabogo failed yesterday after the two Kiambu leaders boycotted a campaign meeting convened by the DP in Ndumberi, Kiambu County.

Ruto has maintained silence on the altercation that saw Senator Kimani Wamatangi clash with Kabogo on Wednesday before his running mate Rigathi Gachagua much to the chagrin of his supporters in the Mt Kenya region.

Ruto who was accompanied by Kenya Kwanza principals, Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula, steered clear of the Wednesday altercation and instead directed his salvos at Azimio presidential hopeful Raila Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua.

Ruto dismissed his competitors’ association with President Uhuru Kenyatta, saying they never rallied behind him when he was facing the ICC case after the disputed 2007 elections.

“Where were they when President Uhuru required them when he was facing tribulations at the International Criminal Court? They have now come pretending that they love him and are now lecturing us that we should respect the President,” Ruro said. 

BIG fOUR AGENDA

He urged Kiambu residents to rally behind his quest saying it is Kenyans who will determine their next crop of leaders and not a few individuals in hotels and offices.

“It is not possible that there are a few individuals in Nairobi hotels and offices who are going to direct Kenyans on who to elect. It is very shameful that those people who never voted for Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013 and 2017 are the ones who are going to dictate to you that you should support that man of riddles,” he said

“It is the same man who brought differences in Jubilee until the government abandoned the Big Four Agenda. That is why the President was even unable to address the issue of Big Four Agenda during the Madaraka Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens,” he said.

Ruto enumerated development projects initiated by the Jubilee government in Kiambu, saying he was best suited to succeed Uhuru.

DP Ruto arrived in Kiambu’s Ndumberi area yesterday evening for a campaign rally amid rising tension pitting Kuria and Kabogo, on one side, and UDA candidate Wamatangi, on the other. 

The three are jostling for the governor’s seat in a high stakes race that threatens to split the coalition.

Ruto was expected to address to the growing rift which has seen Kuria and Kabogo boycott campaign rallies led by Gachagua for the last three days.

The two appear to have been rattled by Wamatangi’s push for six-piece voting.