Nyeri governor hints at joining Ruto's UDA camp

Deputy President William Ruto (right) with Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga during a church service in Ngangarithi, Nyeri County. [DPPS]

Deputy President William Ruto has said more than 85 per cent of the ruling Jubilee Party members and MPs have crossed over to United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

He blamed ODM leader Raila Odinga for weakening Jubilee and it's vision.

Speaking when he attended service at PEFA church in Nyeri town, the DP said that his dream and that of President Uhuru Kenyatta including the Big Four Agenda went down the drain after the handshake.

Addressing residents on the second day of his tour of Nyeri county, Ruto regretted that Jubilee's agenda of uniting and developing the country was shattered despite investing heavily in the party.

"The bible says no do let anyone kill a dream and if it gets killed dream again. We are now in the process dreaming again in UDA since our initial dream was killed by the handshake,” he said.

The DP defended his bottom-up economic model saying he was keen on implementing it if he takes over power. Addressing residents in Kiandu, Wamagana and Ihururu, Ruto who was accompanied by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga said he was best placed to carry on with President Kenyatta'S development agenda.

Kahiga said he was the only governor remaining in Jubilee Party in Mt Kenya after most of his colleagues decided to court other parties like ODM. 

"We only have been watching over our shoulders because we do not want what befell others like Babayao (Former Kiambu governor Ferdinard Waititu) to happen to us," he noted

The governor said he was weighing his options and would make the right decision when the time comes.

Kahiga announced that he would ask women and community leaders to accompany him to visit the DP.

“I don’t want to be baptized by the roadside like Tetu MP James Gichuhi who has declared he has jumped to UDA. I want to lead a delegation to Karen to formally declare my cross of ship,” the county boss said at Kiandu shopping centre.  

The governor said that he will become the chairman of aspirants for elective seats on UDA ticket.

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga at his residence in Nyeri. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

"If you want someone to give you many stories and who will is ready to give you all aspects of the history and who dwell on the past, join ODM leader Raila Odinga. But of you want to walk in the path of the present and the future join our brother here the DP," Kahiga explained.

"My people are saying they prefer mursik from Sugoi compared to eating fish, eating muthokoi and eating chicken," he said in reference to joining Ruto, Raila Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and ANC's Musalia Mudavadi.

Kahiga disclosed that his 80-year-old mother, has been pushing him to join Ruto. MP Gichuhi Mwangi defected to UDA saying he had taken cognize of many aspirants seeking to unseat him on the party ticket.

Meanwhile, residents of West Mugirango constituency were disappointed after Ruto failed to turn up for the funds drive for 35 churches.

The DP was scheduled to raise funds in aid of Nyansabakwa Catholic Church of Rangenyo Parish; Omosasa Catholic Church and Bobembe ELCK Church.

The Bobembe funds drive was expected to benefit about 30 churches drawn from different denominations.

Instead, Ruto was represented by West Mugirango MP Vincent Kemosi and his Borabu counterpart Ben Momanyi. Kemosi said the DP's schedule is tight and he will not be available until March 2022.

"You can bear witness how busy the DP is. All along he had been promising he would be here but as it turned, his programs of meeting Kenyans across the country became busier than anticipated but he assured me he will plan again to come," Kemosi said.

Churches that were to benefit from the funds are Seventh-Day Adventist Church, the Lutheran Church and all evangelical churches.