Ruto: We have no time for petty politics

Deputy President William Ruto drives a new School bus for Kimobo Friends Secondary School in Mt. Elgon Constituency, Bungoma County yesterday. Also in the picture are some of the lucky Students who got the opportunity to be driven by the Deputy President.

Bungoma , Kenya: Deputy President William Ruto has warned “detractors” that they will not prevent the Jubilee Government from implementing its election manifesto fully.

Speaking yesterday when he opened a library at Chemoge Secondary School in Mt Elgon, Bungoma County, Ruto said the Jubilee Government had no time for “petty politics, busy bodies and noisemakers.” “Nafasi tulio nayo kama serikali sasa ni ya kuchapa kazi (this is the time to work). We have no time to listen to noise as we are busy taking the country to the next level,” he said.

The Deputy President lashed out at the Opposition leadership for their call for a referendum to amend the Constitution, accusing them of not being sincere.

Critical role

“When we opposed the Constitution in the previous referendum, Raila Odinga was on record vehemently supporting it. He even came up with the phrase ‘kama si sasa ni sasa hivi’. What has changed now? He should be the last person to cry foul and call for a change in the Constitution,” Ruto said.

He said the Jubilee Government was trying to address the many challenges facing the country, adding that the county governments have a critical role to play in ensuring that lives of Kenyans are made better.

Ruto, who later opened an administration block at Kimobo Secondary School in the same constituency, said the National Government had allocated enough funds to the 47 counties and that CORD’s calls for a referendum to push for more funds for devolution was a misplaced agenda. The Deputy President, who was accompanied by Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, said counties had performed well and Kenyans had begun to enjoy the fruits of devolution at the grassroots.

“I want to emphasise that county governments have done a good job everywhere in Kenya. The citizens are beginning to feel the effects of a devolved governments where services and resources are getting to the locals,’’ he said.

He stressed on the need for unity and cooperation on devolution matters, saying elected leaders will be judged ahead of the next elections. “Let us all unite because if we spend a lot of energy fighting and making noise daily, we cannot move forward as a country. Every leader will be judged during the next election based on development record,” Ruto said. Murkomen said CORD should stop issuing ultimatums to the Government on matters of governance and democracy, arguing that the Opposition has no moral authority to do so. “CORD itself cannot contain internal dissent in its ranks. They recently send packing their Chief Whip Gideon Mung’aro and the other day they failed to hold an election. They should stop lecturing us on democracy and reforms because they have failed,” he said.

Also at the function were Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka and his deputy Hillary Chongwony, MPs John Serut (Mt Elgon), Dr Robert Pukose (Endebess), Gonzi Rai (Kinango), William Cheptumo (Baringo North), Dr Reginalda Wanyonyi (Bungoma Women Representative) and John Waluke (Sirisia).

Lusaka assured the Deputy President of cooperation from governors and asked his colleagues to concentrate on discharging their mandate.

“At the end of five years, all of us will be judged based on our track record. As county governments, we obviously cannot work in isolation because we need the National Government,” said Lusaka, who is also the  Governor’s Council chief whip.

Serut, who hosted the Deputy President, asked Kenyans not to be dragged into the referendum debate. “We shall not accept, as leaders of this country, to be dragged into another electioneering mood,” he said.