Kalonzo fires back at Ruto over 'No road to his home' remark

Wiper Patriotic Front party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has hit back at President William Ruto, disputing remarks the state leader made about road infrastructure in his home area.

Speaking during a public engagement on Monday, Kalonzo said Ruto focused on him rather than his agenda during a visit to Kiambu.

“Ruto was in Kiambu where he made me the subject instead of worshipping. He was talking about me and my home area, saying there are no roads,” he said.

“He said I have been in governance and leadership for 50 years. I will correct him, it’s 40 years.”

The former vice president emphasised that his decades in public service included major infrastructure initiatives in Kitui and the broader region.

“The 40 years were of serious experience. When I was vice president, I launched the construction and got a Chinese contractor, Sinohydro, to build the road,” Kalonzo explained.

“The road runs from Kibwezi to Mutomo, to Kitui, to Mwingi, to Tseikuru to Maua. That road links Ethiopia with Mombasa.”

He was responding to remarks by Ruto on Sunday, who accused Kalonzo of being a naysayer and leading the campaign against his agenda to transform the country.

Ruto hit out at Kalonzo, claiming that the opposition leader had no authority to lecture him on matters of development, saying the road leading to his home is yet to be tarmacked despite his long tenure in politics.

"There are those saying we can't achieve all that I have announced. I want to tell them that they are the ones who can't achieve anything. They have no plan. It would be unreasonable to wait for someone who has never developed his rural road,” the President said.

“The road leading to his home is dusty and muddy, and he has been in power for decades. If he can't develop his rural road, where will he get the smartness to plan development for Kenya? That is why they argue it is impossible, because they have never planned anything.”

Ruto was defending his road construction agenda, reiterating that his administration plans to build 28,000 kilometres of roads by 2032.

He insisted the plan is realistic and necessary to unlock economic growth across the country.

“Just as we constructed 10,000km of roads during (former President) Uhuru Kenyatta’s 10-year-tenure, we are going to construct another 28,000kms by 2032,” Ruto said.