Deputy President, William Ruto has taken a swipe at members of parliament allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga, accusing them of wasting time in their fresh attempts to amend the Constitution.
While speaking to the grassroots leader from Bungoma at his home in Sugoi on Friday September 17, Ruto warned the MPs not to waste time trying to revive the flopped constitutional amendment debate, in what looks like an attempt to bring back the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) proposals.
The DP said there are more important issues MPs should focus on other than their current obsession with expanding the Executive to massage the egos of regional kingpins in the run-up to the 2022 General Election.
He said a lot of the issues that the MPs are persuing like the amendment of the Constitution doesn't directly affect Kenyans, yet there are so many burning issues, like health needs, that need urgent legislation.
“I want to ask the Kenyan members of Parliament to stop wasting the time of the people of Kenya, discussing power-sharing all the time,” Ruto remarked.
Speaking at his Sugoi home in Uasin Gishu County, Ruto said that there are bills in parliament on matters that affect the common citizens but have not been discussed.
The DP has challenged the members of parliament to give priority to legislations such as the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the Housing Act.
“Parliament must be careful so that they address matters affecting Kenyans instead of using almost all their time thinking of how they will share power,” the DP noted.
Notably, Ruto used the opportunity to market his bottom-up economic model, which his campaigns for the upcoming 2022 General Election are modelled around.
In attendance were other United Democratic Alliance (UDA) allied leaders. MP for Kikuyu, Kimani Ichungwa, who was in attendance noted that they shall all proceed to parliament on Tuesday, September 21, to push for the bills that have been ignored, yet they affect the citizens.
His sentiments were echoed by Kimilili MP, Dismus Barasa and former Kakamega County senator Boni Khalwale who vowed to ensure Ruto becomes the next Head of State in 2022.
Ruto asked the people of Bungoma County to support his economic model, as it is the solution to the many challenges affecting them.
