Deputy President William Ruto has struck a deal with 11 leaders from Mt Kenya over the upcoming 2022 elections.
In a statement he released on Sunday, May 2, the DP disclosed that the team agreed to progress on the non-ethnic, non-regional and non-divisive political foundation laid by the Jubilee government.
He further noted that his movement would take the bottom up approach after agreeing that trickle down economy was excluding millions of Kenyans.
"The most important conversation is on the empowerment of small businesses, increasing farmers’ earnings and creating an enabling environment that rewards hard work, nurtures creativity and promotes initiative for all to flourish.
"To ensure that an all-inclusive conversation takes root, we have agreed on a framework of engagement beginning at the grassroots with farmers, entrepreneurs, traders, cooperatives, other producer and business associations encompassing all the key agricultural value chains in particular tea, coffee, dairy, fresh produce, rice and miraa," read the statement in part.
He further confirmed that experts in various fields would be invited to provide counsel for a wholesome development plan.
"Patriotic Kenyans of all shades – scholars, professionals, subject matter experts, business and community leaders – will be brought on board to facilitate this comprehensive, all-encompassing national engagement," added the statement.
Ruto kicked off the meeting on Friday, April 30, with the aim of making inroads into Central Kenya as President Uhuru Kenyatta's tenure at the top comes to an end.
The DP promised to build on two fundamental principles he helped Uhuru to create in 2013 including transitioning the country from the shackles of ethnic mobilization to a new paradigm centered all-inclusive consensus.
The other principles, he added, included the making of a political competition issue-based with tangible and measurable development outcomes.
"We must engineer a fundamental paradigm shift from the perennial politics of personalities, positions and power to a candid, open and frank engagement with the people on the economy, their aspirations and their future.
"We must acknowledge both the ethnic political model-it is our turn-and its counterpart trickle down economics continue to impede our full political, economic and social development potential," he added.
His statement comes two days after former Prime Minister Raila Odinga held a meeting with the Kikuyu council of elders at his Karen residence.
“It is time that as a people and a nation we embraced love and peace. This is the journey we are embarking on,” Raila shared after the meeting on Friday, April 30.
