President William Ruto has taken his growing battle with the Linda Mwananchi movement to Siaya, warning residents against throwing their support behind emerging political formations as the race to shape Nyanza’s future gathers pace.
Ruto made the appeal during the third day of his tour of Nyanza, urging voters to remain behind parties associated with the broad-based government instead of backing new outfits that he said had yet to prove their ability to run the country.
The President’s message came shortly before the Linda Mwananchi team is expected to visit Siaya, placing the movement at the centre of an emerging political contest in a region still adjusting to the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Governor James Orengo was at the heart of Ruto’s criticism, with the President questioning his decision to work with Linda Mwananchi. Ruto alleged that the movement was being sponsored to attack his administration and asked the governor to abandon it and instead cooperate with the national government on development.
"I am telling Orengo to leave the outfit called Linda Sponsors or Linda Sponyo and join me in this development journey and build hospitals. I am asking you people, did you choose him to join Linda Sponsors? Why does he allow himself to be a political stooge and puppet to be used by a former president who has retired? Orengo has really disappointed us," said Ruto.
Ruto then turned his attention to former President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing him of moving away from the role of a statesman and becoming a 'rebel' leader whom he claimed was working to destabilise his government.
"This Uhuru Kenyatta did not beat me when he was a sitting president, and now that I am the president and he has retired, how will he beat me?
Instead of being a statesman, he has turned into a 'rebel leader'. Even the courts have told him to keep off. It is very embarrassing," said Ruto.
The President alleged that Kenyatta was backing politicians seeking to challenge him after failing to deliver programmes in sectors including education and health.
He spoke while inspecting the construction of Dhogoye Bridge in Bondo, using the project to highlight what he described as a new development phase under the broad-based government.
Ruto said the political arrangement had given Nyanza a fresh opportunity to benefit from development, arguing that the region had been left behind for years.
"The broad-based political team is the only political formation with the capacity to unite our nation. It is the only formation with a proven track record, a credible vision for the future and a plan to address the challenges facing our country. The alternatives are either personality cults, makeshift political formations and briefcase parties with neither the capacity to unite Kenyans nor a serious agenda for the country," said Ruto.
The President’s warning was directed at Linda Mwananchi, which is yet to identify its political vehicle, as well as other new formations seeking to build support in Nyanza.
The Movement for Democracy and Growth Party, led by Ugenya MP David Ochieng, is among the groups seeking a stronger presence in the region. The People's Prosperity Party, associated with former ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo, is also positioning itself in the emerging political contest, with Owalo seeking the presidency.
Adding a symbolic touch to his visit, Ruto wore an orange cap bearing the ODM branding, the party that for many years was associated with Raila’s political campaigns.
The President urged Siaya residents to be cautious about supporting new political outfits, saying they lacked the established record and experience required to provide an alternative to the broad-based government.
"Our nation will not experiment with people engaging in trial and error. Do not gamble with those who are only preoccupied with titles and and sloganeering."
Ruto later took his political appeal to Ugenya while inspecting the Sihay-Bar Ober-Sega Road, where he reached out directly to Ochieng.
The President asked the area MP to work with the broad-based government, saying the country was too important to be divided by competing political formations. He also called for cooperation between ODM and UDA.
"Our nation is too important for such people. The broad-based coalition is the only one with a plan. I want to tell my brother and your area MP Davia Ochieng that we walk together here in the broad-based government. We want to work by uniting ODM and UDA" said Ruto.
Ochieng accepted the President’s overture but tied his cooperation to his own political ambitions. He asked Ruto to support his bid to take over from Orengo as Siaya governor.