Kenya Kwanza Alliance yesterday stormed Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) party leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s Ukambani backyard where they accused their main rival, former Prime Minister  Raila Odinga of abetting corruption.

Deputy President William Ruto and Musalia Mudavadi accused Raila of entertaining graft through his dalliance with governors accused of perpetuating graft.

He said Raila’s Capitol Hill offices in Upper Hill, Nairobi, had been turned into ‘corruption theatre house’ where those facing graft claims troop with millions of shillings to get support of ODM legislators through the command of their party leader.

“Raila is responsible for promoting graft in counties. Corrupt governors visit his office with stolen money to be cleansed of corruption allegations,” Ruto said.

The Deputy President, who was speaking in Makueni, also said the Opposition had failed in its watchdog role and instead agreed to go to ‘bed’ with the government through the infamous Handshake, thereby getting an opportunity to steal from the public and sabotaging the Big Four Agenda.

Ruto promised to build 20 dams in lower Eastern to help address water shortage. “During my last campaign here, we promised to build dams to address the issue of water scarcity. We have done fairly well and it is work in progress. We shall ensure we get more dams so that people can engage in irrigation farming,” the DP said.

Ruto at the same time told Azimio La Umoja proponents to stop hiding behind President Uhuru Kenyatta and leave the Head of State to prepare for his retirement.

“You are making the President have a difficult time vote-hunting for you. Let the President retire in peace,” he said. 

Mudavadi told Raila to stop taking Kenyans for a ride on matters of economy and high cost of living.

Responding to Raila’s claims that the increased cost of living and market prices are not as a result of loans taken by the government, Mudavadi told off the ODM leader for not being honest with the suffering Kenyans.

He said the increasing market prices were as a result of the government’s desperate move to raise money to service its public debt that is running into trillions of shillings.

“You should not underrate the intelligence of Kenyans on matters economy. Stop living in your own world and come down to the reality. Prices of basic commodities have increased because the government is looking for money to pay loans. That is the reality,” said Mudavadi

 Speaking separately, Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula cautioned Uhuru against imposing an Opposition leader on Kenyans.  

Regional chief

Speaking in Bungoma yesterday while receiving aspirants seeking to vie on Ford Kenya, Wetangula said Uhuru was turning into a tribal and regional chief.

 “When you are a President of a country, you are above tribe, community and a symbol of dignity, unity and respect. It is unfortunate that people are not advising our President properly,” he said.  

Wetangula called on the Head of State to give Kenyans an opportunity to choose their leader because he also has one vote.

 He asked Uhuru to emulate his predecessor, retired President Mwai Kibaki, who let Kenyans to elect him his successor.

 “When Kibaki finished his term he allowed Kenyans to elect their successor and God gave you grace to be his successor. Learn from history that when Moi imposed you as his successor in 2002, you failed with him and you are again going to fail with Raila,” said the Ford-Kenya leader.

The senator noted that Kenyans are very clever and won’t elect a puppet or a stooge and Kenya Kwanza would like to have a free and democratic space to elect their president.

 He also pointed out that there was no law in Kenya that confers the President powers to impose any leader on them.

 Wetangu’la noted that Raila has transformed himself from a crusader of people’s rights to a puppet and on that basis his credentials have failed him.

 Early in the week, Raila sought to defend the government’s appetite for loans, claiming no country can service without borrowing. This was after Kenya Kwanza leaders accused the President of driving the country into a ‘debt red zone’ by acquiring public debt of almost Sh8 trillion.

In response, Raila chose to hit at the leaders, saying the increased prices of goods was not as a result of the loans but inflation due to Covid-19 pandemic, and termed the leaders ‘barking dogs’.

Mudavadi and Ruto yesterday made stop-overs in Makueni, Kibwezi, Mbooni, Mavuko and ended the day with a rally in Mlolongo town.

 They will today raid Kalonzo’s Tseikuru backyard where they are expected to turn their guns on the former VP, who was their ally in One Kenya Alliance before they dumped him to join Ruto.

–Titus Oteba and Paul Mwangangi