Deputy President William Ruto started his three-day tour of Mr Raila Odinga’s political stronghold of Nyanza yesterday, tearing into the former premier’s role in spearheading the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) referendum drive.
Dr Ruto termed the BBI a fraudulent mission that wasted four years of the Jubilee administration’s time that it could have spent accomplishing its development blueprint dubbed the “big four agenda”.
He said most of the issues in the BBI could be achieved without changing the constitution.
“BBI was the most fraudulent and deceitful agenda carried out in the name of changing the constitution. You don’t need to change the constitution to increase resources to counties,” said Dr Ruto.
He had started his speech with the admission that successive administrations had sidelined the region. The DP struck an uncharacteristically reconciliatory tone in stark contrast to his usual bare-knuckle attacks.
“We have not treated Nyanza well. Many at my level have made the situation worse by not listening to their issues,” he said.
He urged Nyanza residents to support his presidential bid.
Sugar sector
“Governance is too important to leave to politicians alone. That is why we have to agree on what the priority for Nyanza is [instead of sitting] in a hotel to develop a manifesto. This time, vote for a plan and not personalities,” said Dr Ruto.
On his first day of the tour, he was presented with wish lists from different groups.
The DP pledged to look into the region’s issues should he become President.
He said many problems affecting the region, particularly the sugar sector, are due to lack of political goodwill
“I want us to critically have a conversation and discussion on the priorities and the agenda you want us to address God willing, when we form the next government,” he said.
He promised to capture proposals from the forums he will be holding in Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori in his plans for the country.
He charged that the BBI would have imposed an imperial presidency. The DP, who arrived in Kisumu late afternoon after hosting United Democratic Alliance (UDA) aspirants from Rift Valley at his Karen residence, engaged Kisumu youths at the Susan Owiyo Arts Centre in Kisumu West on his “bottom-up” economic model.
Tangible agenda
He was accompanied by Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, his counterparts Marwa Kitayama (Kuria East), Mathias Robi (Kuria West) and UDA’s deputy secretary general for strategy, Mr Eliud Owalo. Local leaders gave the event a wide berth.
“We have decided that, from now henceforth, we will engage any government based on a tangible agenda which will help our people,” said Mr Owalo.
The DP made a stopover at Dago in Kisumu West where he donated Sh300,000 to Bar Union Secondary School.
Dr Ruto is also set to hold several meetings at Ciala Resort Hotel.
“We have a robust team of people who are harnessing and synthesizing what you are saying. It doesn’t matter the language you use, we will get it into a proper economic plan for our consideration,” he assured.
On Wednesday, he is scheduled to engage youths in Homa Bay County after clearing his Kisumu itinerary. BY DAILY NATION