If Kenyans want me to be president in 2022, I will go for it

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto who will be fighting tooth and nail to retain his gubernatorial seat in 2017, is considering running for the president in 2022.

Ruto faulted those claiming he is spoiling the Kalenjin community’s prospects in 2022, because that is still a long way.

“We must be guaranteed of today before we begin talking of tomorrow. If Kenyans will want me to run for the presidency in 2022, I will go for it,” said Ruto.

The former Council of Governors boss has asked those criss-crossing the country in an attempt to relegate him to political oblivion to stop intimidating him.

“I have witnessed lately a well-choreographed scheme to silence me. But I want to tell them that it is my constitutional right to support a party of my choice,” said Ruto. She maintains that his stand against the Jubilee party should not be used by his enemies to scare him.

“When we gained independence, we talked about fighting three enemies - disease, poverty and ignorance. Unfortunately, we have added others, such as corruption and tribalism,” said Ruto, adding that devolution was the only sure way to address these challenges.

Ruto termed attempts by police to stop a meeting to popularise his Mashinani Development Party of Kenya in Sogoo as illegal, unacceptable and retrogressive.

“We don’t expect the police to cancel meetings. We only notify them so that they provide security, or tell us if the venue has been booked by another group,” said Ruto.

The governor said the Constitution assures Kenyans of the freedom of association, hence the right to congregate. He pointed out that the Constitution outlaws the police from barring people from holding meetings.

“It seems we are headed to a police State. But let it be clear that we shall not be cowed,” said Ruto.

He added that calls by Jubilee to dissolve parties affiliated to the coalition are part of a scheme to take back the country to a one-party State.

“We have heard them say they want to have one party called Jubilee in the pretext of uniting Kenyans. Our Constitution has made Kenya a multi-party State and that must be respected,” said the governor.

Ruto maintained that Kenyans cannot be herded into a one-party State, noting that those who do not feel well represented in one party, have the right to move to join others.

On the upcoming Kericho senatorial and Nyongores ward by-elections, Ruto said they have entered into a working agreement with Kanu.

“We agreed that we shall be supporting Kanu’s candidate for the Kericho senatorial seat, while they will support us in Nyongores Ward,” he said.

He noted that the outcome of the elections will be a indicative of the region’s political direction. He insists that people should not be forced to join a party whose formation they were not involved in.

He maintained that he will be reaching out to other leaders who support devolution in the next general election.

He termed his difference with Deputy President William Ruto as ideological and not personal. “My calls for more resources to devolved units have been misconstrued to mean that I’m fighting the national government, and by extension the Deputy President.

But I have always maintained that we need to strengthen devolution because it is what Kenyans want. I speak for many people who want their lives improved,” he said.