Deputy President William Ruto has asked leaders not to use the criminal justice system to drive the country’s politics.
Ruto urged leaders who perceive him as their political competitor to come up with an alternative agenda and compete with him on the basis of ideas.
He said political differences among leaders should not result in the oppression of ordinary citizens and the derailment of government development programmes.
“Our development agenda has derailed because of political wrangles. If we had used the energy, resources and the time we have spent in fighting our perceived political enemies we would have had enough time and resources to implement the Big Four,” Ruto said.
Speaking during a church service at St Joseph’s Catholic Church Karagita in Naivasha on Sunday, Ruto said the criminal justice system was being abused to intimidate leaders who support him.
He said the trend had now evolved from politicians to investors, a move that threatens the country’s growth.
“They are trying to sell fear to Kenyans, that if you are friends with Ruto you are taken to court. If you are an investor known by Ruto you are taken to court,” he said.
MPs present were Jane Kihara (Naivasha), Liza Chelule (Nakuru), Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati), George Kariuki (Ndia), Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu), Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Faith Gitau (Nyandarua).
Others are Purity Ngirici (Kirinyaga), Silvanus Osoro (South Mugirango), Githua Wamacukuru (Kabete), Mathias Robi (Kuria West), Benjamin Washiali (Mumias East), Njuguna Wanjiku (Kiambaa) and Michael Muchira (Ol Jorok).
Ruto said the country would have been better off had his competitors presented Kenyans with an alternative economic agenda to his bottom-up model.
He asked Kenyans not to allow politicians to take them back to tribal and divisive politics.
The MPs faulted the government for unfair arrest and deportation of a foreign investor because of his association with Ruto.
South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to focus on the implementation of development projects that he promised Kenyans citing the Big Four development agenda.
He asked the President to execute his mandate in accordance with the Constitution of Kenya and the oath of office.
“We urge the President to get back to doing that which he was sworn in to do,” Osoro said.
Kandara MP Alice Wahome said it was regrettable that the government was reversing the rights and freedoms gains that had been secured in the current constitution.
She said the government’s recent track record on freedom of expression and association, economic rights and right to life was wanting.
“We must be careful that the government does not take Kenya where we came from. We should never bow down to human impunity,” she said.
Kiambaa MP Njuguna Wanjiku said that threats and intimidation will not work in 2022 general elections since it did not work in Kiambaa.
He stated that the government had resorted to harassing investors associated with the Deputy President to manage the country’s politics.
“We have reached a point where investors associated with the Deputy President are labelled terrorists. If he is a terrorist, they should explain to us how he got into the country,” he noted.
On his part, Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali urged security agencies to keep off politics and instead focus on securing the country.
“Our security agencies should stop playing partisan politics and leave politics to politicians,” Washiali said.
Washiali appealed to President Kenyatta to prepare to retire with dignity and respect and steer clear of succession politics.
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah asked the President to take action against the criminal enterprise in his office undermining the country’s economy
“You have criminalized enterprises and businesses to the point where investors are running away from Kenya,” he stated.
His sentiments were echoed by Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua who said a section of civil servants in the office of the President have converted a popular and democratic government into a dictatorship.
“They have made a President who was very popular a subject of ridicule,” Gachagua said.
