Deputy President William Ruto has defended his ‘wheelbarrow politics’ after coming under fire from a section of leaders for handing out wheelbarrows and carts to Kenyan youth.
ODM leader Raila Odinga was the latest politician to trash Ruto’s ‘Hustler’ movement, challenging his bitter political rival to give out his chopper instead.
“Someone would come and start saying we need to talk about the common man, poor man, mkokoteni, driver and so on…but you’ve been there all this time. You didn’t drop from heaven like an angel. You’ve been around,” Raila said on Wednesday at the Kisii State Lodge where he received the BBI report alongside President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“Is it the first time that you’ve discovered about mkokoteni people? The haves and haves not? If you’re really concerned, why give them wheelbarrows and not your helicopter?” he posed.
But speaking at Huruma grounds in Eldoret during the funeral of Huruma MCA Peter Chomba, Ruto said a wheelbarrow means two different things to two different sets of people.
“If a simple wheelbarrow can cause national debate, then it means we have a serious problem which we must confront.
“The wheelbarrow means two different things to two different sets of people because to others it means nothing, while to millions it’s a tool that can transform lives,” Ruto said.
The DP who was conspicuously missing during the BBI presentation said the report should be devoid of the “reggae” bravado, intimidation, or threats.
He called for national consensus saying BBI should not be a conversation about leaders.
“The BBI must be free of the reggae bravado, it must not be divisive to create winners and losers. While we are looking for consensus among leaders, we should also look to include the millions who have no opportunity to have a meal or do business,” he said.
Ruto added: “It must also be about those who have been excluded for all leaders must ensure the debate on the BBI will be all inclusive and not about leaders and how they will benefit.”
