NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 15- It was a bare-knuckle affair at the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) delegates convention on Tuesday, as Deputy President William Ruto highlighted his plan if elected President.
The Deputy President talked of rescuing the country from what he termed as the state capture under President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure and reforming the criminal justice sector- which he said had been weaponized.
“Under our administration, we shall boldly and firmly confront and dismantle the now permissive conflict of interest that has rapidly revolved into state capture through corrupt arrangements,” he said.
“Public policy must not be customized to benefit the private and personal interests of a select few.”
It was a crowning moment for the Deputy President, who was also nominated as the UDA presidential candidate ahead of the August 9 polls.
And as he highlighted his economic plan, the Deputy President did not shy away from throwing political jabs against President Kenyatta, whom he accused of abandoning their initial development plan, after their re-election in 2017.
So, what has the Deputy President promised if elected the fifth President of Kenya?
To ensure the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are independent of political influence, the Deputy President committed to ensuring they are financially independent.
This, he said will be by implementing the constitution, which requires the police service to have financial independence from the Independence.
He also said that he will activate the Judiciary Fund, to guarantee its independence and enhance its professionalism.
The Deputy President said he will also work on ensuring the country’s resources are equitably shared under the bottom-up economic model.
“Governance is all about the people,” the Deputy President said during a speech read before a delegation of more than 5,000 people, at the Kasarani stadium.
“I am ready and determined to give you a campaign that you will all be proud of and to win for our party, coalition, and the country.”
The delegate’s convention was attended by among others Safina Presidential candidate Jimmy Wanjigi, ANC presidential candidate Musalia Mudavadi, Senator Moses Wetangula, Chama Cha Kazi party leader Moses Kuria and TSP party leader Mwangi Kiunjuri.
DP Ruto, Mudavadi, and Wetangula are in the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
What led to his fallout with President Kenyatta?
While he did not directly address what has now become a political mystery, he said after their reelection, the Jubilee Party in which they were elected, became retrogressive.
“From 2017, the party back-peddled on its foundational commitments including the founding covenant. It rejected the national inclusive issue-based transformative leadership and embraced retrogressive politics,” he said.
“It weaponized public policy and institutions.”
Since 2017, he said the ruling Jubilee party has advanced the agenda of a few.
He said the voice of dissent has been subjected to “humiliation, intimidation, and blackmail” just for having a contrary opinion.
Further, he accused President Kenyatta of overseeing the death of Kenya’s opposition.
Odinga is legally the opposition leader but since March 2018, he has supported the government agenda, after he shook hands with President Kenyatta.
President Kenyatta is through the Azimio la Umoja coalition rooting for Odinga, to succeed him.
Their political mantra is uniting Kenyans while DP Ruto’s is embracing the bottom-up economic model.
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