ELDORET North MP William Ruto on Wednesday made a surprise visit to Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s home turf of Kisumu and vowed to contest the 2012 elections. Ruto, who addressed a series of peaceful and huge roadside rallies before he was crowned as a Luo elder in Kajulu grounds, rejected calls by locals to re-join ODM.
He said he will face the PM at the ballot "what come may". “Agwambo (PM Raila Odinga) will contest the presidency on an ODM ticket and I will contest on a UDM ticket. We all want to be president and if he beats me I will support him and if I beat him I expect the same so that we build a better Kenya,” said the former Higher Education minister.
However, in several stops Ruto’s speech was drowned with chants of "ODM" and "Rudi Nyumbani (come back home-ODM)". In some areas, when Ruto said "harambee"he crowd responded "ODM". He however rejected the calls saying: “I have heard your views and I will consider them but who told you UDM is also not my home?”
Ruto said Raila is not his enemy. “He is the one who sacked me even after I did a lot for him in 2007. I was even taken to The Hague but I’m happy you prayed for me,” added the MP. Ruto, who was accompanied by MPs Adan Duale and Elijah Langat, addressed rallies at Kiboswa, Kisumu CBD, Kisumu Bus Park, Kondele and Kajulu.
Others in Ruto’s entourage were his host George Ayugi and UDM politician Zaheer Jhanda. Unlike the recent attack on former Foreign Affairs minister Raphael Tuju who was attacked at Kondele, Ruto addressed peaceful rallies and praised the people of Kisumu. “When I was coming here in the morning, I was warned that I will get an hostile reception but I told off those who were discouraging me. I’m happy with the huge reception I have received,” he said at Kondele where Tuju’s convoy was stonned.
He added: “I have come here as your friend and neighbour so that you don’t assume that I have abandoned you. I know you have very many questions which you want to ask me but I will come back again.” Asking locals to support his bid, Ruto also called for a peaceful campaign and election next year. “Let the 2012 battle be a competition of ideas. Let us not fight because of politics. Let’s all compete peacefully,” added Ruto amid cheers.
He challenged the youth who he said consist 70 percent of voters to elect men and women who match their words with action and not politicians with empty rhetoric. “As the youth, let us pull up our socks, tighten our belts and roll our sleeves in readiness to changing this country,” he added.
He asked Kenyans to discard tribalism. “We should not elect somebody because of his tribe, religion or colour. Let look at somebody’s track record, vision and manifesto,” he said. Ruto said any Kenyan should be free to visit any part of the country without fear. “This is our country and we should not zone it,” he added.
Dulae said the next general election will be a battle between UDM, ODM and PNU. “The horses are only three and we are ready for the battle ahead,” declared Duale. He hinted that ODM and UDM were 'sisters' and may work together after the next general elections. After the tour Ruto said: “I was touched by the warmth of the people of Kisumu and was moved by their genuine desire for a united Kenya. We had very robust engagement and even at some point had to hand over the microphone for guys to ask questions.”
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