Ruto; 'I will not respond to insults from the opposition'

[Kelvin Karani, Standard]

President William Ruto yesterday declared that he has no time to respond to the opposition leaders insulting him and his administration.

Addressing a series of political rallies after inspecting development projects in Taita Taveta county yesterday, President Ruto claimed his critics have no plans, policies and development agenda for Kenyans. 

The head of state noted the only opposition agenda is insults, political circus and political bickering at the expense of development.

At the same time, the president faulted the opposition accusing them of misleading Kenya that he will not fulfill his election promises.

The President hit out at opposition leaders criticising them for allegedly engaging in hatred, tribal politics and divisions instead of providing solutions to the challenges facing Kenyans.

Ruto said he was busy working to transform the lives of Kenyans through implementation of development projects like roads, health and agriculture and will not have time to answer his critics who have nothing to offer to Kenyans.

“I have no time to waste on criticism from the opposition who are busy bodies and engaging in political rhetoric at the expense of development. There are those who are claiming that I have been making false promises and it will be impossible for me to fulfill them. 

"Kenyans know what my government has done and I will shame them when time comes. I will be judged by my performance in serving Kenyans,” Ruto told residents in Mwatate and Voi Sub Counties as he drummed up support for his re-election in 2027.

He added, “There are those who are saying that I will not fulfill my promises I made to Kenyans in 2022. Let me tell you that I will shame them come 2027 as my development track records speak for itself. Let my rivals tell their development agenda so that Kenyans can weigh and make their informed decisions in next years polls,” he said.

He inspected the 54-kilometre Mto-Wa-Mwagodi-Msau-Mbale-Wundanyi-Ewrugha-Mgange-Bura road. 

The project will cost more than Sh2.2 billion.

During the visit, the president presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the new Voi Stadium in the Vindo Show ground. 

The 10,000 capacity facility will cost over Sh950 million. 

He said the project once completed will benefit the youths in sports, meetings and will be completed by December this year.

Ruto defended the formation of the broad based government saying it is meant to bring Kenyans together irrespective of party affiliation and end tribalism that existed for years.

He presided over the revitalization of the Voi-Taveta metre-Gauge Railway Line that collapsed over 20 years ago. 

The project will cost Sh5.5 billion.

Dr Ruto also unveiled a commemorative plaque and laid the foundation stone for about Sh280 million Voi Modern Market and inspected several housing units under construction at the Taita Taveta University.

Yesterday, the president highlighted the achievements of his government in areas of education, health, roads, education, affordable housing and markets.

He said the completed and ongoing government development programmes are all geared towards transforming the lives of Kenyans, saying no successive government had achieved more than what his administration has done to Kenyans.

One of the ongoing road projects include the 60-km Taveta-Challa-Njukini-Rombo Loitoktok that will cost about Sh9 billion.

The President disclosed that 20 kilometres of the road has been completed and the remaining 40 km will be completed by the end of this year.

Ruto gave a bag of goodies to the locals declaring that tenders for the Maungu-Kasigau and Voi Sagala roads have already been advertised.

On Social Health Authority (SHA), the President disclosed that a total of 340,000 people have been registered in the county representing 68 percent of the total population.

He revealed that a total of over Sh600 million has far been paid to hospitals in the region offering SHA services in the past one year.

 “Health care services are for all Kenyans in line with the constitution,”  he stated.

On electricity, Ruto said Sh 900 million has been spent on power connectivity in the region.

Among those who accompanied the head of state were Governor Andrew Mwadime, County Women Representative Lydia Haika and MPs Peter Shake (Mwatate), John Bwire (Taveta), Abdi Chome (Voi), Assembly Speaker Wisdom Mwamburi, senior government officials and members of the county assembly. 

Others were former Governor John Mruttu and Granton Samboja, assembly Majority Leader halifa taraya and his Deputy Dorcus Mlughu.Further, President Ruto said the revival of the Voi-Mwatate-Taveta railway line which collapsed 20 years ago will stimulate socio-economic development and boost regional trade between Kenya and Tanzania.

“The operationalization of the train services  line will make business along towns thrive because of the  free flow of trade between the two countries.

"Due to reliable transport in place, traders can easily go to Tanzania to buy goods and sell to the county on a daily basis, “he said.

The rail connection through Voi with the Mombasa-Nairobi-Kampala line, built during the era of British Kenya also served the small-scale traders who were dependent on the cheaply and reliable railway  transport.

The president noted that the suspension of the railway line had not only caused suffering to the small scale traders but also impacted negatively on the socio-economic status of the local community.