Ruto: I don’t need permission to work with any Kenyan

President William Ruto yesterday declared that he does need permission to work with anybody.

The Head of State, who spoke during an interdenominational prayer rally in Nakuru county, asserted that no region will be left behind in terms of development regardless of how its residents voted.

 In what appeared to be a response to retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader  Raila Odinga, who have summoned leaders affiliated to their outfits for working with the current administration, President Ruto said time for personality politics was long gone and Kenyans were eagerly waiting for development.

“I want to tell any leader in this country that you don’t need any permission to work with anyone. There are those who still want to continue dividing us that this leader cannot meet with the other or work together. However, I want to tell them that I am the President of this country and I will work with anybody without minding which tribe, race or political party they belong to,” he said.

Personality cults

“Those who still think that they will continue holding us hostage with their personality cults, I want to tell them that their time is over. There will be no boundaries put by anybody. We will not need any permission from anybody to work as leaders of Kenya for the best interest. I want to tell every leader from any corner or party in Kenya that I am looking forward to working with them so that we can develop Kenya together.”

The Head of State termed the summons to leaders who have been working with the government as cheap politics that have chained this country for long.

“We need to unchain ourselves from this kind of politics so that we can unleash the potential of our citizens and the potential of our country and move it to the next level,” he said.

President Ruto spoke even as some leaders defied their party’s directive and attended the prayer meeting.

In what appeared to be an open act of defiance, the leaders who attended the meeting said they will recognise Ruto as the president as they work together.

They were led by East African Legislative Assembly MP Kanini Kega, Eldas MP Adan Keynan and Nominated MP Sabina Chege.

Speaking in Nakuru, Kega recognised that Ruto was the Head of State.

“By the mere fact that we are here, it shows that the fifth president of the Republic of Kenya is none other than William Samoei Ruto,” he said.

 Keynan, who was named the Jubilee national vice chairperson during a meeting in Nakuru last week, said he will not join anti-Ruto allies.

 “Jubilee has made a decision to work with the government of President William Ruto,” he said.

 “I am serving my fifth term now, I have no energy to run around the streets and throw stones. We consulted and agreed that we must unite in the original Jubilee in which you were the last person to exit.”

The MP said the President has the capacity to transform the country and take it to the realm of the Asian tigers.

 “South Korea was changed by a young man like you who had a vision to transform that country,” Keynan said.

 He told the President to count on the Jubilee support in Parliament and other government programmes.

 Other members of the party in attendance were Sirisia MP John Waluke, Irene Njoki (Bahati), Samuel Arama (Nakuru West), former Taveta MP Naomi Shaban and former Kitutu Chache North MP Jimmy Angwenyi.

Deliberate move

In what appears to be a deliberate move to weaken the opposition, President Ruto has in the last few days been meeting with leaders from the Azimio coalition who have vowed to support his administration.

 At the same time, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua maintained that the Ruto administration was not hell-bent on taking revenge for the ill-treatment brought upon them during Uhuru’s regime.

Gachagua said the government is keen on fulfilling its pre-election pledges to Kenyans.

 “The President and I have no time for revenge. We ask all those of us who were mistreated or persecuted in one way or another to have a heart to forgive our tormentors and we move forward,” he said

 The DP urged all the elected leaders to focus on development and reviving the country’s economy.

 At the same time, Gachagua dismissed claims of a police raid at the home of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i saying the current police service is professional and will not be used to play politics.

 “The police service we have now has no time for politics and has no time to go and raid a house at night. The police service we have now will work in accordance with the law,” he said.

The DP’s sentiments were echoed by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who called upon elected leaders to popularise Ruto’s transformational agenda.

“The President did not win by selling revenge. He sold an agenda to transform this country and in the Kenya Kwanza agenda revenge does not exist. We want to unite the country under the leadership of William Samoei Ruto,” he said.

 Mudavadi urged leaders under the Kenya Kwanza coalition party to join the President in preaching peace and unity.

 “The evil things that were visited on Ruto do not define his agenda. He has gone above that; he is now focused on growing this country. Those of us who are his lieutenants, I would like to urge that we work with the President to bring everybody together because five years is a short time and we want to make sure 2027 shall be a walk over,” Mudavadi stated.

He also said retired President Uhuru Kenyatta should let Ruto do his job, as his time has elapsed.

 “When you transit, you don’t come back to the arena, those who have transited should know that it’s William Ruto’s job,” he said.

 “Come back to reality, Ruto is the president.”

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