Nairobi — President Elect William Ruto has assured that he will offer former Meru Senator Mithika Linturi a job in his government after he flopped in the county gubernatorial race.
During a thanksgiving service in Maua stadium, Meru County, Ruto asserted that they had a pact with Linturi that "once I manage to clinch the presidential seat in the August 9 polls, he would have a portion of it."
"We agreed with Franklin that if I am elected president, I will share the seat with him the presidential seat. He will have a portion there. So don't worry he is our hero," said Ruto.
This is even as he stated that the Kenya Kwanza Alliance losers in the polls in leaders who were unsuccessful in winning political seats will also be included in his government to help the country develop.
"Those who probably didn't get a chance, I want to assure you that you will have a part in our government so that we can move forward together and so that we can handle the plan that we sold together with them for the development of the Kenyan nation," Ruto stated.
In the ten Mt Kenya counties that handed Ruto, a chunk of votes Meru County was among the counties that collectively gave him nearly three million votes.
Among the 47 counties, Meru County was ranking fourth out of the 47 counties that gave the president in waiting an overwhelming support.
"We came before you, you did not despise us, you listened to us, welcomed us, believed in us and voted for us. Today I have come here to say thank you very much. Meru was county number four where we got a lot of votes."
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Ruto and his Deputy President designate Rigathi Gachagua were swept to power majorly by 17 counties that contributed nearly two-thirds of the total votes he secured to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
On the path to becoming the country's fifth president,Ruto inherited the Mt Kenya and Rift Valley bastions that were crucial to their victory with President Kenyatta in 2013 and 2017, while also eating into his rival's strongholds in Nyanza, Western and Coast.
The 10 Mt Kenya counties and the seven from the North Rift collectively handed him 4.5 million votes, which translated to 63 per cent of his total votes. Laikipia, Tharaka-Nithi, Murang'a, Kiambu, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Embu, Meru and Nakuru collectively gave Dr Ruto nearly three million votes.
His main challenger, Odinga, got 847,709 votes from Mt Kenya, which partly explains the close contest considering the ODM leader has performed poorly in the region in past elections.
With 2,938, 309 votes from the 10 Mt Kenya counties, Dr Ruto topped up with 1.6 million votes from seven North Rift counties.
Baringo, Bomet, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Kericho, Nandi, West Pokot and Uasin Gishu collectively gave Dr Ruto 1, 602,807 votes.
