Kanini Kega: Ruto, Raila already had a handshake
Kega said this was the reason why Ruto is now being well received during his tours to the Nyanza region.
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kanini Kega now claims President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga already had a handshake akin to the one made between the ODM leader and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"Ruto and Raila shook hands long ago and it is no longer a non-issue," Kega said during an interview at Inooro TV on Monday morning.
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"It's only that this time round the handshake was not photographed on the stairs of state or Harambee House."
Kega said this was the reason why Ruto is now being well received during his tours to the Nyanza region.
The President earlier this month conducted a four-day development tour of the Nyanza Region which focused on the development of infrastructure aimed at stimulating the region’s economic growth.
At the Kisumu Shipyard, President Ruto commissioned MV Uhuru II, a vessel with a carrying capacity of 1,063 tonnes.
In Usenge, Siaya County, he inspected the Dhogoye Bridge and approach roads along the Kisian-Usenge-Osieke road.
The bridge will connect Siaya and Busia and enhance regional trade.
President Ruto also launched the upgrading to bitumen standards of Bondo – Uyawi – Kibanga – Liunda Beach road in Liunda, Siaya County.
National unity
Kega cautioned the Mt Kenya residents to ensure that the community does not appear as if they were the only ones opposed to national unity.
The EALA MP said the Mt Kenya community should pursue the "One Man One Shilling One Vote" issue and minimum return guarantee for produce and stop linking their woes to Raila.
"Mt Kenya politicians have for long thrived on the narrative that area problems are linked to Raila. They are now facing the reality that Mt Kenya region's problems are in agricultural poor returns, unemployment, gangs, alcoholism, narcotics, bad trade policies and those are not issues that define Raila," he said.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, EALA MP Kanini Kega and President William Ruto during a past event at State House, Nairobi. (Photo: PCS)
"All those politicians who promoted the narrative that the cost of living was high because of the Handshake between Uhuru and Raila need to apologize to the country because the same problems have persisted so far and the current government is doing the same things Uhuru was doing."
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Kega said that it is only in Mt Kenya where currently they have politicians strategising for the 2027, 2032 and even 2042 elections.
He urged the community to remain united behind Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Service delivery
"It is not clear whether Mt Kenya voted for Ruto because of Gachagua's influence. But our elders should accept to hand Gachagua the Mt Kenya spokesman baton from Uhuru. However, our elders are not united. We are facing political dangers owing to our divisions," he warned.
The EALA MP warned Ruto against rewarding his loyalists for the sake of development and delivering on his promises to Kenyans.
"He did well to pay his political debt by appointing those who helped him win the August 9, 2022 vote. But he now should realise political debt does not count toward 2027. Those he paid the political debt to and are not helping him deliver pre-election pledges should be removed," he said.
Kega criticised Public Service Performance and Delivery Management cabinet secretary Moses Kuria alleging he failed in promoting Kenya as a strategic gainer in East African trade during his time at the helm of the trade docket.
"For the period he lasted in the Trade and Investment ministry, he never attended a single meeting to strategise on how to gain from the existing windows of opportunity in the East African Community (EAC)," Kega claimed.
"The relationship we have with other EAC members is Kenya is their export market while we barely sell anything to them. Long-distance lorries come to Kenya loaded with agricultural produce from neighbouring countries while those leaving Kenya are empty."
Kega also faulted President Ruto claiming he has been sacking members of the Mt Kenya community from his government without replacing them with those from the same region.
"When the national blackout occurred they sacked those from our region working in airports yet electricity is not generated or connected to the grid from airports," Kega said.
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