Deputy President William Ruto yesterday met leaders from Western Kenya to address challenges facing the region.

He took the chance to lash out at politicians he did not name for holding the country hostage for years,  a trend he said  would soon be coming to an end.

Addressing the press after the retreat in Sawela Lodge in Naivasha, Ruto said the biggest challenge facing the country was the harsh economic times and rising debts.

He attributed this to mismanagement of the economy noting the ongoing charm-offensive targeting leaders were part of addressing the challenges.

“For years, the country has been held hostage by personality’s cult and it’s time to liberate Kenyans from this bondage,” he said.

Expanding tax base

On the rising debt, Ruto said that the way forward in addressing the debts was not postponing paying it but expanding the tax base.

“If we employ more youths and give traders a conducive working environment then we shall increase our tax collection and improve the infrastructure as we pay our loans,” he said.

Ruto noted that Kenyans were united adding that the only challenge that they were currently facing was the harsh economic times.

“Kenyans regardless of their background are united and the only challenges they are facing is unemployment, rising cost of living and the debt burden,” he said.

On Western Kenya economy, he said that the region had high potential that was yet to be fully tapped and pointed to the edible oil sector.

He said that his economic team would continue to engage leaders from all parts of the country with a view of coming up with a blueprint before the next elections.

“Many have been criticising our bottom-up economic plan and this is a healthy discussion where even our competitors have recognised it,” he said.

Resolving challenges

Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali, who led the delegation, noted that various challenges that had affected Busia, Bungoma, Vihiga and Kakamega counties had been raised.

He said the meeting had discussed problems bedevilling the sugar, cotton, milk, fishing sectors among others and come up with ways of resolving them.

“We have held a productive meeting with the DP where we met his economic technical team and discussed ways of resolving challenges facing us,” he said.

Kenya Union of Nurses secretary general  Seth Panyako noted the civil society was firmly behind the bottom-up model of economics.

“For years the country’s workers have been oppressed by political formations but we have hope under the hustlers umbrella,” he said.