Deputy President William Ruto has asked the Jubilee coalition leaders to stop discussing his 2022 presidential bid and instead focus on the 2017 general election.
While at Kipkeikei Boys High School inTrans Nzoia County on Saturday, Ruto said the ruling coalition leaders should focus on how President Uhuru Kenyatta will retain the seat in 2017 before they begin discussing on how he will succeed him in 2022.
Ruto said by helping Uhuru remain in power, the Jubilee government will be able to complete its development agenda.
“I want to ask all those who are introducing unnecessary debates about 2022 to stop. The contest that is present in the arena is the 2017 race. I want to ask all leaders in Jubilee to focus their attention and energy on 2017, and how we are going to get Uhuru Kenyatta and Jubilee re-elected so that we can ensure we complete our transformation program,” he said.
The deputy president’s remarks come in the wake of a storm in Jubilee on whether Mt. Kenya is ready to support his 2022 presidential bid as agreed with Uhuru.
Nominated Jubilee Senator Paul Njoroge warned the deputy president of early campaigns in Central Kenya saying that they are polarizing the region.
The senator further said that the deputy president should be aware that Mt. Kenya support is not guaranteed despite agreeing with Uhuru over the same.
His sentiments sparked protests in Naivasha where his effigy was set on fire and the senator warned not set foot there.
Kiambu Governor William Kabogo had warned Ruto that despite the agreement with Uhuru over Mt. Kenya support, the region has to sit down and decide who to support come 2022.
Kabogo said that the region is not going to blindly support Ruto because it is a significant number of voters.
State House has, however, defended the pact between Ruto and Uhuru and has said that he, (Ruto) has the ability to lead Kenya.