KILIFI: Deputy President William Ruto has accused the leaders in the opposition National Super Alliance of only being interested in sharing power instead of spelling out their development agenda.
“While we are launching development projects, Nasa leaders are busy sharing seats among themselves and they have not brought their development agenda for this election,” Ruto told supporters in Kilifi yesterday.
The DP defended his frequent trips to the Coast and drummed up support for Jubilee and the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Gideon Mung’aro, who accompanied him.
Both President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy have made numerous trips to the region to try to wrest it from the grip of the opposition.
Ruto also demanded that Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi of the Orange Democratic Movement account for the Sh9.6 billion the county receives from the national government every year.
He claimed that Mr Kingi had nothing to show for the funds despite the fact that the county received the biggest share of the allocations.
Ruto was speaking to Mariakani residents at the home of Kaloleni parliamentary aspirant Kitsao Kahindi Ngowa, who defected from the opposition.
Present at the meeting were Mung’aro, Kilifi South MP Mustafa Iddi, nominated Senator Mvita Mshenga, and Jubilee Party official Nelson Dzuya.
Last year, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi was in the same home to court Mr Ngowa and his father, Kahindi Jogolo, a former Kilifi County Council chairman, to join his party.
Earlier, the DP inspected the tarmacking of the 50km Mariakani-Bamba road, which he said would be completed this year.
Ruto said residents have a right to question how their funds are used, noting that there was no water, yet the county got billions of shillings for development.
He announced that the national government planned to fast-track the Sh40 billion second Mzima water pipeline project from Taita Taveta and ensure that water is distributed to Kilifi and Kwale counties.
Ruto also said the government had sent a team from the Coast Water Services Board to China to start the Baricho Lot Two water project in Kilifi, which will cost Sh2.3 billion.
According to the DP, Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya has been allowed to collect water from the Mzima pipeline for distribution in his county.
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“If the Kilifi governor continues to go to Orange House, he will not reap maximum benefits from the national government. There is nothing at Orange House,” Ruto said.
In what appeared to be frantic efforts to court Coast politicians to join Jubilee, Ruto said political parties should exist to win elections and carry out development for the people.
“I am not crazy to have ditched ODM. A political party is not a religion; it is there for victory and development. If it does not achieve these objectives, you better leave it,” he said.
He claimed that Nasa leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetang’ula, and Musalia Mudavadi have not spelt out their development agenda.
He defended his many tours to the Coast saying he was only encouraging residents to be part of the next government.
“I am not a tourist. I am here to beseech you to be part of the 2017 government,” Ruto said.
He pledged to fund the rehabilitation of Mwareni Secondary School to the tune of Sh3 million.
The DP also launched an electricity extension project for 700 people at Mkapuni in Rabai constituency.
“The electricity connection programme in the country has been a success. There are less than 40 schools that have yet to be connected. They will be covered in the next three months,” Ruto said.
Mung’aro claimed that the Sh9.6 billion allocated to Kilifi county had been misused through inflation of the cost of projects.
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