Senator Methu Blasts William Ruto for Prioritising Nyanza in Development: "They Didn't Vote For You"
- President William Ruto channelling impactful development to parts of Western Kenya seems to be annoying his political detractors
- The president has, in quick succession, toured Nyanza region with goodies, with focus on Homa Bay which also got a state lodge recently
- Nyandarua senator John Methu argued that the president was erring in focusing on regions whose electorate did not contribute in his electoral win in the 2022 vote
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Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
President Willianm Ruto's apparent focus in developing parts of Western Kenya is hurting some of his opponents.
Source: Twitter
The president has seemed to camp in Nyanza where he has frequented with goodies.
Homa Bay County has been singled out as the centre of Ruto's visits in the lakeside regions.
Why John Methu faulted Ruto
At every visit, the president has dished out development projects, roads, markets and initiatives to enhance fish trade.
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Nyandarua senator John Methu argued that the president is mistaken to focus on such counties as Homa Bay considering that the residents did not vote for him in the 2022 elections.
Homa Bay is among the bastions religiously loyal to ODM leader Raila Odinga, who was Ruto's chief opponent in the last vote.
According to Methu, the president should only prioritise the areas that voted for him.
"President William Ruto was in Homa Bay, and he launched many projects there, yet they did not vote for him. They tell us we should stay in government, we can't remain in a government that carries out extrajudicial killings,." he said.
The senator was speaking in Mbeere North on Friday, August 22.
He called on the electorate of Mbeere North to elect their new MP from the DCP party in the by-election slated for November 27.
According to Methu, UDA flunking the minipoll will be a good sign of Ruto being defeated in 2027.
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Mbeere North lost its representation in the National Assembly after Geoffrey Ruku was nominated to the Cabinet.
Methu's sentiments mirror those of his political senior, Rigathi Gachagua, during his tenure in the Office of the Deputy President (ODP).
Is Kenya Kwanza government shareholders'?
Early 2023, Gachagua sparked a storm after likening the Kenya Kwanza government to limited company from which only shareholders can benefit.
He claimed that the government would not accomodate in state posts those who did not support Ruto's election.
According to Gachagua, the president would not entrust those who did not believe in his agenda to actualise it.
The argument attracted condemnation from many quaters, including the opposition then led by Raila.
They argued that by virtue of being taxpayers, each Kenyan is entitled to government services, and if qualified, they also are entitled to government postings regardless of their political leanings.
Source: Twitter
Despite the backlash, Gachagua stood by his words, insisting that he would gatekeep the state house to turn away those who did not elected the Kenya Kwanza government.
Why I can't isolate any part of Kenya - Ruto
In the face of such averments, Ruto dissented from his deputy to work with those who did not elect him.
For instance, he started camping in Nyanza, which was opposed to his presidential bid.
While there, Ruto launched projects perhaps to woo the region into his fold.
He argued that was in his grand plan to work for all Kenyans and unite them without paying attention to their political preferences.
The president's style of governance climaxed with the advent of the broad-based government, which so the luminaries of the ODM party, who were previously opposed to the president, joining the national executive.
Former ODM national chairman John Mbadi, who has previously castigated how the administration was running the economy, was entrusted with the National Treasury docket.
The party's deputy leader, Wycliffe Oparanya, who had questioned the viability of the Hustler Fund and even asked Kenyans to default it, was taken to the Co-operatives and MSMEs Development docket to manage the fund.
Former Mombasa governor Hassan Joho had also ruled working with Ruto, but got the Mining CS post.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
