DP Ruto hosts Kikuyu leaders from Rift Valley to firm up his support

Deputy President William Ruto Thursday hosted Kikuyu leaders from the Rift Valley at his Sugoi home in Uasin Gishu County as he seeks to consolidate his support base ahead of the 2022 elections. Sources at the closed-door meeting told the Nation that the DP urged the leaders to go slow on 2022 politics and focus on uniting the country.

“He (the DP) was concerned, especially about the ongoing debate on the BBI and told us to speak with one voice. He also urged us to sell his political agenda in the region,” an MP who attended the meeting told the Nation. Before meeting the DP, the Kikuyu leaders, including elders, had earlier met with their counterparts from the Kalenjin community and shared the ceremonial Kalenjin mursik milk outside Silverline Hotel in Eldoret as a sign of peaceful coexistence even as the 2022 elections draw near.

The delegation, led by Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri, pledged the community’s support for Dr Ruto and told off a section of leaders from Mt Kenya who have poured cold water on his presidential bid. “We, as Kikuyu leaders in the Rift Valley, better understand the problems we’ve undergone every election year and we can make our own decisions without pressure from any quarters. Our people should never turn against each other again,” said Mr Ngunjiri, the community’s de facto chairman in the Rift Valley. He challenged President Uhuru Kenyatta to declare whether he still supports his deputy’s bid for the presidency in 2022 as he had promised.

DN Briefs text: Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi recalled that President Kenyatta made the promise in Eldoret in the run-up to the 2013 elections, adding, “It is now time to walk the talk.”

DN Briefs text: He dismissed the handshake between the President and ODM leader Raila Odinga as a move that will benefit only the two of them.

DN Briefs text: “The only handshake we recognise is the one between President Kenyatta and the DP. If, indeed, the Raila-Uhuru handshake was genuine, why were the other principals, including Kalonzo Musyoka and Musalia Mudavadi, left out?” Mr Sudi asked.

DN Briefs text: The DP has been traversing the vast Mt Kenya region launching various development projects and holding funds.

Before meeting the Kikuyu leaders, the DP presided over the annual chicken auction at Kambi Kuku, where he helped raise Sh11 million.

Thursday was the DP’s first time to host a delegation of members of the Kikuyu community at his Sugoi home.

Before proceeding to the meeting with the Kikuyu leaders the DP presided over the annual chicken auction at Kambi Kuku near his Kamagut home turf where he helped to raise more than Sh11 million in a record one hour. He was accompanied by more than 10 MPs from Rift Valley and Mount Kenya who are allied to the Tanga Tanga group.

The DP who steered off politics recounted how he started up selling chicken near Jua Kali while he was growing up 30 years ago. “Mimi nilikuwa mwuzaji stadi wa kuku hapa (I was a re-known chicken seller here. Kuku ina faida ya kipekee. It is up to you to just feed it well and you enjoy the returns,” said the DP.

“Njia ya kuondoa umaskini ni kupitia kwa kuku (the only way to alleviate poverty is through chicken business),” added the DP.

More than 14,000 chicken were presented for sale from various cooperative societies this year up from 5,000 last year with each chicken going at Sh800.

MPs: Liza Chelule (Nakuru County), Catherine Wambilianga (Bungoma), Charity Gathambi (Njoro), Jane Kihara (Naivasha), Janet Sitienei (Turbo), Caleb Kositany (Soy), and Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu).

Others included: Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Martha Wangari (Gilgil), Oscar Sudi (Kapseret) and Gladys Shollei (Uasin Gishu).

During the auction, the DP bought 1,250 chickens valued Sh1 million and brought a similar Sh1 million from President Kenyatta.

Uasin Gishu assembly bought 500 goats valued at Sh470,000 while Mr Sudi bought 600 goats at Sh500,000. Kesses MP Swarup Mishra send Sh800,000 for 1,000 chickens.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago bought 750 goats at Sh600,000 while his Nairobi counterpart Mike Sonko send Sh500,000 goats for 600 goats. Daily Nation.