Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has said he will not support Deputy President William Ruto's presidential bid in 2022.
Mutua said the deputy president should instead support his presidency in the forthcoming polls since he supported his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta in both 2013 and 2017's elections.
The Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader said he has what it takes to lead Kenya, not to mention the anti-corruption platform that he will be using to seek votes.
"I have what it takes to run this country. I supported President Kenyatta in 2013 and 2017, so Ruto should consider supporting me since I supported his boss," Mutua said.
Mutua was speaking during a live interview at a radio station on Wednesday.
He said his development track record speaks for itself and he is ready to propel the country to greater heights of development.
Mutua said the deputy president has no fresh ideas for Kenyans.
He said Ruto has done his part as President Kenyatta's deputy and it was time he called it quits to pave way for other leaders with revolutionary ideas.
"Majority of Kenyans are young and wallowing in abject poverty due to the corruption that has not only ruined the economy but torn apart the moral fibre of our society," Mutua said.
He further said he had a panacea for the vice and was already leading by example by being the first leader to declare his wealth before anti-corruption authorities as well as calling for a lifestyle audit for all senior civil servants and political leaders.
President Kenyatta subsequently echoed Mutua's call for the lifestyle audit and ordered all leaders to be subjected to the same amid meek resistance from a section of Jubilee leaders who argued that there was no legal framework to conduct it.
Mutua has embarked on an anti-corruption crusade that has seen him endear himself to the youth and ordinary Kenyans, though he has also earned enemies from corruption cartels as well.
He said Kenya needs a leader of integrity and probity if it is to prosper and compete with leading countries in the world since the country is well endowed in natural resources but runaway graft and theft among the ruling elite had impoverished the citizenry and blocked the expansion of the economy.
In a related development, a leading research firm, IPSOS, yesterday revealed that Deputy President William Ruto is the most corrupt leader at 33 percent with Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru following second at 31percent.
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