Deputy President is desperately fighting to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta, Nominated Member of Parliament Maina Kamanda has said.
The legislator said Ruto was using all tactics, including 'intimidation', in his bid to clinch power in the 2022 general election.
Speaking during a church service at Kaharo in Maragua Constituency, Murang'a County, Kamanda accused the DP of warning people with roots from Mount Kenya of 'dire consequences' should they fail to vote for him.
The veteran politician said coercion was a wrong strategy in trying to get the support of Mount Kenya residents and was guaranteed to backfire.
He said the vote-rich region, which is President Uhuru Kenyatta's backyard, will only vote for Ruto if he persuades residents, and assures them his regime will be beneficial to them.
“If anyone wants our votes, he will have to strongly convince us to elect him but we don’t want to be coerced to do so,” Kamanda said on Sunday.
The former Starehe MP, who is part of the 'Kieleweke' team was in the area for a thanksgiving ceremony for former Maragua MP Elias Mbau, who was recently appointed as the chairman of NEPAD/APRM Kenya (NAKS).
He was accompanied by MPs Ngunjiri Wambugu (Nyeri Town), Paul Koinange (Kiambaa) and Cherangany's Joshua Kutuny among others.
On his part, Koinange asked the DP to heed Uhuru's call to stop early campaigns and support him in fulfilling the Jubilee Party manifesto.
“Too much time is being wasted on politics and I would propose that campaigns be conducted for one month,” said the Kiambaa legislator.