Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho on Monday renewed his attacks against Deputy President William Ruto, saying he shares blame for the problems that have beleaguered the country.
Joho accused Ruto of misleading Kenyans with his bottom-up economic model.
The governor said Ruto has been in government for nine years, but has failed to help the people at the grassroots. Joho said Ruto was fond of reminding the people that they are poor (hustlers).
“Why should government officials, a deputy president or even a president, remind you that you are poor? He was in government all those years, what did he do to alleviate his people’s poverty?” posed Joho.
According to Joho, the formulation of any economic model is based on two things: in-depth research and one-on-one engagement with the general public.
“You cannot come here and decide that all the youth need boda bodas. Who will be the customer if everyone is boda boda rider? We need to balance our economy,” Joho said.
Speaking during the World Tourism Day celebrations at PrideInn Hotel in Mombasa, Joho said in 2016 when they were highlighting the issues that affected Kenyans, Ruto and his allies were silent.
“I have seen people who think they can do more than what we have done for the coastal people, barking a lot. Not so long ago, we issued a detailed statement of the status of Mombasa’s economy. The first person to respond was Ruto, who called me an academic dwarf,” Joho said.
He said a section of Mombasa leaders was opposed to transfer of port services to Naivasha.
Ruto, who was in Mombasa to campaign for Jubilee Party then, said Joho is an academic dwarf who does not understand the port matters.
“When I stood to raise those economic issues then, I was called names. He (Ruto) questioned how the ocean could be transferred to Naivasha. Today, Mombasa’s economy is badly beaten and he is playing a saint and promising how he will transform it,” Joho said.
He said Ruto had never stood with Mombasa people and the issues…