Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi has blamed Deputy President William Ruto for promoting his presidential aspirations at the expense of national reconciliation and economic development.
Kingi told Ruto and some opposition MPs that it was too early to launch presidential campaigns especially after the March 9 handshake between Opposition leader Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The governor also accused local legislators of being too eager to please the DP when he visits the Coastal region at the expense of promoting unity and local leadership.
"I wonder when my MPs say that they will support you for President this too early and they forget that our mothers are capable of giving birth to presidents," Kingi stated."
I want to tell you to shelve the 2022 politics and develop reconciliation that Raila and Uhuru started, 2022 will come and we shall battle it out at that stage," he added.
The Kilifi County boss maintained that the peace deal between the President and former Prime Minister should not be sabotaged by politics because it had brought national healing.
Governor Kingi stated: “Was it not for our father Raila Amollo Odinga shaking hands with President Uhuru Kenyatta, people like (National Assembly Leader of Majority) Aden Duale will not have been welcomed in Malindi today.”
He added: “It is Raila who gave us the mandate to shake hands but he did not tell us to endorse Ruto as the Presidential candidate for 2022.
When the DP rose to speak he asked Kingi to join him because he will form the government in 2022.
"You should forget about the tibiim and tialala and join me in forming the government in 2022," he stated referring to NASA's slogans during the presidential campaigns.
DP Ruto also depicted Coast voters as ungrateful despite Jubilee's development record in the region stating: “You know I will report you to God because what we have done for you is a lot but you even denied us even an MCA seat despite the many development projects we initiated as Jubilee. Those you usually vote for have never brought you development.