Persident Uhuru Kenyatta during a Jubilee rally in Trans Nzoia County on June 8, 2017. [Photo/PSCU]
President Uhuru Kenyatta has told the Luhya Nation it cannot put its destiny in the hands of leaders who had supervised the collapse of its industries and put thousands of people out of jobs.
He told Jubilee aspirants from Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga and Kakamega that it was under the watch of Opposition leaders that Pan Paper collapsed, and Mumias and Nzoia Sugar firms were brought to their knees.
Mumias Sugar has faced financial challenges linked to the years an ODM Governor was CEO while NASA chief Raila Odinga was Prime Minister. A firm linked to the Odinga family is listed as owing the miller millions of shillings.
Pan Paper was revived and rebranded last year in a private sector deal backed by government. A second line at the mill us due to open with weeks.
Of Pan Paper, President Kenyatta told legislator Alfred Sambu to stand and speak up about the return of the paper mill to operations, with more than 500 jobs already.
“Alfred Sambu should stand up, in honesty, and say under whose watch Pan Paper is back to life.”
President Kenyatta said cheap propaganda came easy to opposition leaders, who themselves had nothing to show in terms of improving the lives of people in the Western region counties.
He lambasted former Minister Musalia Mudavadi, whom he considers a brother and said “he had really nothing to show for many years in government since President Moi plucked him from obscurity to Cabinet when he was just a boy”.
“Let me tell you: after they finish with the abuse and obsession with our achievement, ask them what really they have to show. Hawa ndio wanaangusha Western,” he said.
President Kenyatta was in Kakamega for a rally in Malava constituency on Wednesday evening, en route to Trans Nzoia.
He will officiate at a military pass out parade Friday before touring Uasin Gishu on Saturday and Bungoma Sunday.