Ruto fights back in Mt Kenya after Uhuru urged voters to reject his re-election bid

President William Ruto has staged a fight-back campaign in the vote-rich Mt. Kenya region, saying his track record in office will earn him a second term.

The president campaigned in Nyeri a day after his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, asked residents to reject Ruto’s re-election bid, in what appeared to be a closing of ranks with Ruto’s former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.

“Kwani mnadhani kuna mtu anaweza kunitisha? Ati anataka kunikosanisha na watu wa Nyeri. Hawa nitapambana na wao hapa mbele. Kwani kuna mtu anafikiria atapiga kelele kuniwachanisha na nyinyi, nyinyi mlinifanya rais? Kwani mimi ni wazimu?” Ruto said.

Ruto, who had attended the AIPCA Holy Oil consecration at Mukaro South Diocese in Othaya Constituency, promised a gruelling contest for the mountain vote, touting what he says is an impressive track record.

“Tukienda mbele niko na mambo mawili, kupanga kazi ambayo mlinipea, kilimo na hospitali. Matapeli wote wa kugawanya tulifukuza ndio maana bei ya kahawa iko 160. Niko tayari kwa mtihani. Mtu wa vitimbi na sarakasi na mtihani, mimi wa kazi, na mtihani yake,” said the president.

The president also received the backing of a section of leaders from the county, who pledged their loyalty to him.

“Wewe ambaye unashindwa kwanini natembea na rais, nimekupa jibu. Kwa wale wenzetu, serikali kwa sasa iko kazi. Itakuwaje tunataka maendeleo na kazi yetu ni kuivuruga?” Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga posed.

Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga added, “Ile siasa tunataka ni siasa ya maendeleo si ya matusi.”

“Nilienda kutafuta maendeleo. Mnataka maendeleo ama siasa? Mnafurahia maendeleo ya rais? Tuendelee namna hio?” added Othaya MP Wambugu Wainaina.

Meanwhile, his deputy, Prof. Kithure Kindiki, was also hard at work, firing up residents of Kirinyaga and daring his predecessor to a political duel.

“Prepare yourself for next year because we will still deal with you. This is the winning team. I respect all leaders regardless of their political stands. I will never badmouth any leader simply because they do not support me,” said the DP.

“There is nowhere we are going. You found us in politics, and you will leave us here. We will humble you just like we did in the Mbeere North by-elections. You will not be allowed to intimidate and blackmail elected leaders through insults and threats of making them unelectable. You found us in politics; you cannot teach us anything,” Kindiki stated.

President Ruto garnered about half of his 7.1 million votes from the Mt. Kenya region, with the 10 counties traditionally considered as the Mt. Kenya bloc giving him over 2.9 million votes.

Recent projections by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) put the number of expected new voters from the ongoing listing at over 1.2 million.

Both Gachagua and former President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday rallied voters against re-electing President Ruto, with the retired president warning residents against repeating what he termed the 2022 mistake.