Gov't used funds meant for counties to pay Eurobond - President Ruto

President William Ruto on Thursday owned up to starving the much-needed funds to the counties.

The President blamed the delay in disbursement of funds to the devolved units on Eurobond debt payment pressure and the allocation of more resources to the Ministry of Education for Junior Secondary Schools roll-out.

Ruto spoke as he launched projects in Murang'a and Nyeri counties on the second day of his Mt. Kenya tour, where he also assured residents that all development projects initiated by his predecessor in the region will be completed.

“Si unajua last week nilikuwa nalipa ile deni kubwa niliachiwa na watu wa handshake, lakini sasa nimelipa hiyo,” he said.

“Hawa gavana wananiambia hakuna pesa imechelewa lakini nimwewaambia kwanza nicheleweshe yenu kidogo nihakikishe watoto wote wako shuleni secondary, tumetuma capitation huko TVETs na tumetuma huko university ndio sababu watoto waweze kusoma.”

President Ruto pledged to release the funds in a week's time, after which he made a case for his pet project, affordable housing, saying it was one of his four-pronged approaches to reducing unemployment in the country.

“Mimi nataka nieleze wabunge you have a choice to make, because this is not about parties, it is not about this side or that side, or between those who have or those who don't, it is about the creation of jobs for millions of Kenyans,” he said.

To the region, the President made promises that all projects initiated by his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta would be completed.

Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata, on his part, said: “Ile kazi tunafanya hapa Murang'a, tunategemea pesa yako kutoka Nairobi, lakini kwa miezi mbili hazijaingia. Unajua ndiyo napatia watu wangu Kangata Care.”

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua pointed at the strengthening of the shilling as an indicator of good things to come.

“Huyu Rais vile amepanga hii dollar muuze leo na kesho na kesho kutwa, msipouza mtaenda hasara juu hii dollar mimi naona vile amepanga itafika mia moja, kwa hivyo tunaambia Wakenya wale wako na dollars wauze, wamekuwa banks jana na leo na sasa nawaambie warudishe kwa sababu wataenda hasara,” Gachagua said.

Ruto added: “Barabara zote za Mau Mau ambazo zilikuwa zimekwama kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa pesa nimepanga Ile kisirani kubwa tulikuwa nayo ni ile deni tulikuwa nayo ambayo watu wa BBI na reggae walituachia.”

The President's message to Central Kenya was that of hope that the economy is making a recovery and that the region will reap development projects for where they sowed when they put him in office.