Deputy President William Ruto has accused Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga of being insincere in his plan to fight corruption.
DP Ruto said it is laughable that Mr Odinga will fight corruption when he is the biggest beneficiary of it in Kenya.
“How will you fight corruption? You are the biggest beneficiary of corruption in Kenya and the money you are using in the campaign is stolen from Kenyans,” he said.
Campaign money
He claimed Mr Odinga’s team had forced governors to use devolution money in his campaigns.
“The people campaigning with you have stolen from the sick people. They have stolen money from Kenya Medical and Supplies Agency (Kemsa) and they are financing your campaign,” he said.
“You are running a ‘drycleaner’ for governors who have stolen from poor Kenyans and then you dare lecture us on corruption,” he said.
DP Ruto asked Mr Odinga to sell his lies to other people but not Kenyans.
“You have no ground, you have no plan and the only group with a plan to fight corruption is Kenya Kwanza because we are going to operationalise the Judiciary Fund.”
Fight corruption
He said the fund will give the Judiciary the ability to fight corruption.
He said his government will allow the offices of the public prosecutor and director of criminal investigations to have independent budgets to fight corruption.
“We shall build institutions to fight corruption but not do these small things you are telling us that you want to do,” DP Ruto said.
He said Mr Odinga has been sanitising corruption and remains a product of corruption.
Dr Ruto promised to change lives in Wajir County and the larger North Eastern region if elected President on August 9.
Addressing a rally at the historic Orahey grounds in Wajir town, he thanked locals for voting for him and President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017.
“After you elected us in 2017, we have built 10,000 kilometres of roads and connected half a million people to electricity,” he said.
Technical colleges
He said the government has initiated technical colleges in Wajir and brought education to young people.
After listing the achievements of the Jubilee government, DP Ruto told the crowd that they have an opportunity to form a better government this year by voting for him.
“We have the opportunity to form a government and on August 9, we have to decide our fate,” he said.
He rallied residents of Wajir to support his Kenya Kwanza coalition, terming the Azimio la Umoja a state project.
“We have some guys in Nairobi sitting in offices and hotels planning for us on who shall be the President of this country. That is impossible. It is we the people who will decide who the next President will be,” DP Ruto said.
Benefit a few individuals
He said Mr Odinga is only interested in changing the Constitution to benefit a few individuals and not all Kenyans.
“You all know our opponent is interested in changing the Constitution and creating positions for his allies. He is planning to revive reggae,” said DP Ruto, referring to the Building Bridges Initiative.
Dr Ruto said Kenyans are not interested in changing the Constitution but improving livelihoods.
“We have to be talking of how we are going to create jobs for our youths, uplift the life of the common man and other issues but not change the Constitution,” he said.
Improve the economy
He asked the Azimio team to halt the planned constitutional changes and concentrate on improving the economy.
“Do not accept our opponents to sell us fear, divisions and tribalism but we are telling them Kenya belongs to all us and we are all equal,” the DP said.
He said he was ready to prove to the Azimio team that he is a worthy competitor and that he fears nothing.
He said his government will create jobs for more than four million youths who have graduated from different learning institutions in his first year in office.
He said the state will not intimidate his team or any other person because they disagree.
“The government cannot intimidate anybody and I am the Deputy President of that government that is threatening those who do not agree with those in power,” he said.
Support young people
He told residents of Wajir that his administration will invest Sh100 billion in small and medium enterprises to support young people.
“It is our responsibility to support all kinds of businesses and we shall ensure there is Sh50 billion for small-scale businesses,” he said.
He said he does not see anything wrong with investing Sh50 billion in small-scale businesses just like Sh100 billion was put into the Kenya Airways.
DP Ruto asked Mr Odinga to stop whining about where he gets his money.
“Raila should not be worried when I donate money to Kenyans. Two million is very little money and this year alone we shall take government money and invest in small businesses,” he said.
Support farming
He pledged to support farming in the semi-arid Wajir by providing sources of water and pasture for livestock.
“We have enough livestock in this region and we plan to invest heavily in agriculture so that lives can change,” he said.
In the health sector, the DP said by December every Kenya will be benefiting from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
“We want every Kenyan to enjoy health services in our hospitals and we will start this December,” he said.
He said the North Eastern region has been lagging behind because of a few individuals who want the region to remain in a sorry state.
Upgrade highway
He cited the highway from Isiolo to Mandera as one that needs to be upgraded.
He said Sh5 billion for the Wajir water and sewerage project is ready and only needs local commitment.
To end power outages in Wajir, he said he will ensure the county is connected to the national grid.
He urged the Azimio team to stop tarnishing his name but concentrate on their campaigns and how they will win the elections.
“They are busy calling out my name instead of campaigning, then when my team wins, they will be crying that their election has been stolen,” he said.
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