KENYA : President William Ruto's senior economic advisor, Moses Kuria has urged the Mt Kenya Region to Rally behind President Uhuru Kenyatta, under Jubilee Party, as the region's flagship political entity.
In a statement dated Tuesday, December 10, Kuria stated his Chama Cha Maendeleo Party would lead the Dissolution font, Proposing leaders of Political parties affiliated to the region to do the same.
" For all the bad lessons we have learnt, it was a mistake to leave the Jubilee Party. However, it is not too late. We will now embark on bringing all the political parties with a footing in the region together under the Jubilee Party." he said.
" We did it in 2016 when we dissolved parties to form Jubilee. We will do it again. Jubilee under President Kenyatta as the Party Leader is the way to go" Kuria added.
Kuria, also called for the revival of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), starting that they were wrong to oppose the initiative that was aimed at amending the 2010 Constitution.
He opined that the BBI proposal would have addressed a number of political issues including the power tussle witnessed after the end of elections.
"I urge President Ruto, President Kenyatta and Prime Minister Odinga to close ranks and lead the nation in picking from where BBI flopped and give this country a Constitution that speaks to the emerging realities of our nation and our society. BBI Season 2 is urgent and can not wait." He Said.
Kuria lauded the meeting between Uhuru and Ruto, saying that it as a sign of prioritizing national interests over personal differences, especially at a time so crucial for the country.
“If there was a time when sobriety, selflessness, patriotism, and putting the interests of the nation above self was badly needed, it is now.
“If the economy totally collapses and Kenya becomes a failed state, none will be the winner. Closing ranks and forgiving each other is much easier than having to deal with the aftermath of a failed nation-state,” he said.
Moses Kuria's presser, comes just a few hours after President William Ruto visited former President Uhuru Kenyatta in his Gatundu Home, Kiambu County.
Speaking in Wajir County on Tuesday, December 10, Ruto explained that he reached out to his former boss to sort out their differences which emerged ahead of the 2022 polls.
According to the President, he intended to close ranks with Uhuru and consolidate the unity of the country.
" I have said that there is no need to continue with the politics of discrimination. We do not want tribalism and differences. We want one Kenya," the President remarked during the rally.
"That is the reason why I talked to Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Yesterday I also talked with former President Uhuru Kenyatta so that we can close our ranks and walk together and build our country together." He added.
According to State House, the two leaders discussed matters of national and regional importance including the candidacy of Raila at the African Union Commission.
On his part, Uhuru added that they discussed various concerns raised by Kenyans including taxation and the constitution of the electoral body.
"President Uhuru agreed to be consulted privately or otherwise, in efforts that lead to a hopeful, prosperous united and stable Nation," the Office of the 4th President noted in a statement.
"On his part, HE President Ruto agreed to engage all stakeholders in an effort to remove any unnecessary tension in the country and to propose a reconciliatory way forward. He stressed that the tensions caused by the elections are over and it is time to focus on the future as one people."
President Ruto, is facing growing disdain from electorate in the vast Mt. Kenya region, which poses a significant challenge to his ambitious plan of hiving off a significant chunk of the region's vote block next election and this is pretty clear to him, after he was heckled in the Region last month.
The president joined other leaders in Embu on Saturday, November 16, to attend Bishop Peter Kimani's ordination to the Catholic Diocese of Embu. While underscoring the importance of the affordable housing programme and SHIF rollout, Ruto met the backlash of the citizenry one on one, which jeered at him in disapprova.
Since then, Uhuru and Ruto have been in secret talks. It is believed the president wants to use his predecessor to re-endear himself to the Mt Kenya electorate in the face of the growing disdain fueled by the impeachment of his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.
What the President thought a classic move by replacing his deputy, Gachagua with Kithure Kindiki who's also from the region, does not seem to have helped cool resident's disdain for the Head of state.