Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Samuel Otieno
22 November 2008
Nyanza — Agriculture Minister William Ruto yesterday attacked at his parliamentary colleagues from Nyanza Province for abandoning development activities and engaging in constant politics while their constituents wallow in poverty.
Nyanza MPs contacted yesterday reacted angrily to Ruto's comments.
Speaking at the Nyanza Province agricultural consultative meeting at Tom Mboya Labour College yesterday, the minister accused Luo MPs of sitting on the fence and blaming the government for failing to initiate development activities while the local leaders stayed away from development forums.
Ruto was in Nyanza to discuss with local leaders ways of improving agriculture. It was the second such forum after the one he held in Mombasa last week.
Karachuonyo MP James Rege was the only Nyanza MP to attend, and he blamed the government for doing little to reduce poverty in the region.
Rege said successive governments since independence have marginalized the Nyanza and that shouldbe changed now the region was now represented in government.
Ruto responded that leaders from Nyanza should put the same emphasis on development that they put on politics.
"Today is not a day for politics and whoever thought that this meeting will have a political element got it wrong. It is time that we embark on serious development activities as we had promised Kenyans," said Ruto.
Ruto wondered why all Nyanza MPs except Rege boycotted the meeting yet he had personally written letters inviting them.
He warned that some pre-election pledges, especially those to do with development, would not be realized if leaders did not work together.
Ruto blamed rampant poverty in Nyanza on bad leadership and warned that "unless leaders walk the talk we will not achieve much".
The minister said that Nyanza had fertile land to grow different crops such as cotton but the locals need to develop an interest in farming if government is to help them.
The meeting was also attended by Nyanza PC Paul Olando, Agriculture PS Romano Kiome and local agricultural officers.
Most Nyaza MPs refused to comment yesterday and instead accused Nairobi Star of scheming to break up ODM.
Assistant Minister for Education Professor Ayiecho Olweny reacted with anger at Ruto's remarks saying they were misplaced.
"He is such a hostile minister and never even grants us audience in Nairobi and we do not know how to work with him," he said. "Does it have to take me to travel to Kisumu to meet him?" posed Olweny.
He saidRuto has been busy politicking instead of serving farmers.
The Muhoroni MP said he had mobilised civic leaders to attend the Kisumu meeting as requested in the invitation letter but had personally to attend to other issues.
"That man is behaving exactly like Moi who used to come to your turf and starts to insult you there," he said.
Rangwe MP Otieno Ogindo confirmed that he had been invited for the meeting but said he had scheduled other appointments in his constituency.
"I spend time for the development of my constituency and what I was dealing with today is exactly that", he said yesterday.
Nyando MP Fred Outa did not respond to Ruto's comments but instead turned his wrath on the Nairobi Star accusing it of engaging in cheap propaganda aimed at splitting ODM.
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MPS will only go to the electorate if they feel they have an obligation to serve them. In case of nyanza, mps are elected (selected) by raila. It is logical for them to accompany the person who can gurrantee their re-election. They have even married from the odinga family to be sure.
I wish people from Nyanza can start investing so that they can create jobs in Nyanza. The politicians should in forefront with investments. They should encourage people of the diasporah to invest in their rural areas. Agriculture and other sectors like horticultures. Why are they mad at Ruto? Because the truth hurts.
Rutos comment is the truth and the leaders of Nyanza have a duty to change-Our kinsman Obash said YES WE CAN and they need to echo and ape every development initiatives in other areas . Instead of shouting from roof tops and galvanising Kenya with their PM position and accompanying Raila every day let them go to the poor in Nyanza and help with the situation,