Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu has weighed in on President William Ruto’s reception in the Mt. Kenya region, stating that it did not come as a surprise to him.
Speaking on Thursday, April 3, Nyutu attributed the warm reception to the region’s welcoming nature.
He argued that most Mt. Kenya residents were encouraged to attend Ruto’s events since there were financial incentives involved.
"I wasn’t surprised by Ruto’s reception in the Mt. Kenya region. Our people are naturally welcoming. We also advised them to show up in large numbers since attendees were being paid. With the economy struggling, we told them to go and collect the free money," he said.
At the same time, Nyutu noted that Ruto's support in the region grew in the past because of the absence of Uhuru Kenyatta.
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"President Ruto's support and friendship in Mt. Kenya grew opportunistically due to the absence of Uhuru Kenyatta. He gained favor among the people of Mt. Kenya because the former president Uhuru was largely absent from the region. While Uhuru was a nationalist, he did not visit the Mt. Kenya region frequently," he said.
Speaking in Meru on Wednesday, April 2, Ruto highlighted his relationship with the people of the Mt. Kenya region, which he said spans over two decades.
"The friendship I have built with the region goes beyond 20 years. No one can come between me and the people of Mt Kenya," he said.
Notably, this reaffirmation comes amid political tensions in the region following the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
In a recent interview, Ruto claimed that Gachagua had requested Ksh10 billion to secure the President's political support in the Mt. Kenya region.
The Head of State claimed that Gachagua allegedly threatened to make him a one-term president if the demand was not met.
"At some point, I told Rigathi Gachagua to stop fighting the MPs but he now shifted his fights to me, claiming that he could make me a one-term president if I did not meet his demands. He demanded Ksh10 billion so that he could go talk with the people of the Mt. Kenya region, but I told him I would not do it.
"I told him that if I would only serve for one term then there is no problem. I told him if he is the one who decides who will serve how many terms then he was at liberty to make that decision," Ruto said in an interview on Monday, March 31.
