Mt. Kenya politicians allied to deputy president William samoei Ruto have been left more broke than before with some of them considering selling their kidneys just to keep up with huge cash demands from the electorates.
According to a local publication, theses Mt. Kenya leaders have found themselves at loggerheads with their supporters as Ruto’s roadside cash promises for young people, women and traders remain unfulfilled.
The daily Nation revealed that they include elected leaders in William Ruto’s campaign teams and hopefuls invited to the rallies to push their chances of emerging victorious in the August election.
On November 13th last year, Thika town member of parliament Patrick wainaina who wants to be the Kiambu governor invited William Ruto to his constituency.
The deputy president was accompanied by a number of Mt. Kenya leaders such as Kikuyu member of parliament Kimani Ichungwa, Kiharu member of parliament Ndindi Nyoro, Garissa township legislator Aden Duale and former Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu.
They held many roadside rallies in the areas of Makongeni Posta, Kamwangi, Kairi, Gatukuyu, Thika Stadium Roundabout, Ngoliba and Gatuanyga,
The local publication reported that during the meetings, William Ruto promised young people and the business community cash and other goodies.
“In Thika, the most populous and cosmopolitan town in Kiambu county the DP promised to give bodabodas 3 million Kenya shillings. He later proceeded to Gatundu north and pledged 2 million shillings for local traders.” Revealed the Daily Nation.
In total, this was 5 million shillings which he said would be channeled through Mr. Wainaina in an event that was meant to welcome him to the newly formed United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
The following morning the local traders and the bodaboda guys were at his office to receive the money that was left the previous day by the deputy president. His attempts to explain to them that no money was left fell on deaf ears, forcing him to save his life by digging into his own pocket. These people almost lynched him for “eating the money that Ruto left!”
The legislator confessed that associating with Ruto made him poorer than a church mouse. As a result, he was later forced to do away with Ruto’s UDA posters from his vehicles and opted to run as an independent candidate.
“I don’t want to talk about that. It is very annoying.” He told the Sunday Nation.
Another case is the nominated senator Isaac mwaura who took a group of Githurai traders and bodaboda operators to William Ruto’s Karen residence where he promised them 2 million Kenya shillings to be divided equally amongst them.
However, Isaac Mwaura confessed that he never received that money as promised by the second in command.
According to a local publication, the traders at the Githurai market along Thika Superhighway are not taking it lying down after Ruto failed to honor his own pledge. They claimed that the second in command promised them 2 million Kenya shillings but the same has only remained an empty promise.
The traders under the leadership of one Peter Mwangi revealed that William Ruto promised to help at least 1,000 of them by supporting their small businesses but nothing has materialized so far. They had been reportedly invited to the deputy president’s official residence in Karen where they had a campaign meeting.
“(Nominated) Senator (Isaac) Mwaura was in charge. He came here and picked those of us who went to Karen. Now there are reports a few of us have received the monies and disappeared. Others say we were given wheelbarrows and sold them.” He said, adding that the money was to be equally distributed amongst various groups in the popular Githurai market.
“The DP promised Sh1 million for the market traders and another million for those in the transport sector. We were to receive the money within a week. The main issue is that people believe a section of us have pocketed the money. That is why we cant to clear the air that nobody has received even a cent. We are also asking the DP to confirm or not whether he has given the money to someone here.” claimed another trader.
As a result, these Githurai traders questioned the credibility of DP William Ruto while wondering how they were to trust him with his many promises if elected president if he could not fulfill such a small pledge.
“We need to tell Kenyans it is bad for leaders not to fulfill promises because these are the people who will be elected to serve Kenyans but if he cannot fulfill promises, how can we trust him with our votes.” They continued.
They are now calling the deputy president to come out and clear the air on whether he channeled the money through local leaders who took them to Karen and who may have kept the money to themselves or he’s still holding on to his promise.
“He keeps on telling us about bottom up and we really believed him but he doesn’t keep promises. Maybe he gave the money to our leaders but let him know that we have not received anything.” Mwangi said.
The devastated Githurai traders also revealed that Ruto promised them a pack of wheelbarrows but they have only seen the same in Viusasa.
“We were also promised a pack of wheelbarrows and we forwarded a list of those who wanted wheelbarrows but hata moja hatujapata!” Kelly Rose Wambui lamented
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