Ruto under fire over Kitale's Masinde Muliro market as Linda Mwananchi defends Governor Natembeya

Ruto under fire over Kitale's Masinde Muliro market as Linda Mwananchi defends Governor Natembeya

Linda Mwananchi accuses the President of interfering with county government affairs and vows to defend devolution as security tensions escalate at the Kitale market.

The Linda Mwananchi movement has condemned President William Ruto over his involvement in the Masinde Muliro Market in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, accusing him of overstepping his mandate and interfering with the responsibilities of the county government.

In a statement on Monday, the party said it would continue to oppose what it described as attempts to undermine devolution, despite the deployment of police officers and heavy security equipment at the market.

Water cannons and heavily armed security units were deployed at the market on Monday amid a dispute involving Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, who was expected to visit the facility.

The party defended Natembeya, arguing that the market was constructed by the Trans Nzoia County Government and that its development falls under the mandate of devolved units.

According to Linda Mwananchi, the market, named after liberation icon Pius Henry Masinde Muliro, was commissioned by the county government in the 2017/18 financial year at a cost of Sh874,280,383.

The party said the Office of the Auditor General flagged several concerns over the project in its 2023/24 financial year audit report. These included delays in completion, seven extensions granted to the contractor that resulted in changes to the project cost, questions over land ownership due to missing documents, and the contractor’s absence during an inspection conducted on September 10, 2024.

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Linda Mwananchi said Natembeya inherited the audit queries from the previous administration but had since addressed them.

It added that the Senate County Public Investments Committee directed the governor to resolve the outstanding concerns and complete the project to ensure value for money.

“CPIC did an inspection tour of the project and gave the county a bill of health in its efforts to complete the project. The committee appreciated the efforts of the county govt in resolving the audit queries,” the party said.

“The current status is that the audit queries have been resolved and Governor Natembeya was applauded by the Senate CPIC Committee.”

The party accused Ruto of attempting to associate himself with the project, questioning his involvement in a development it said was managed by the county government.

“Ruto’s determination to attach himself to the market not only exposes his evident lack of national government projects to launch across the country, but also raises concerns that he is seeking another avenue to be supplier-contractor-seller of another big project, as he has done with the affordable housing scheme,” it said.

Linda Mwananchi also criticised the President’s performance, claiming that his time in office was running out without sufficient achievements to show for it.

“Mr Ruto appears increasingly fearful of the clock, time having caught up with him without much to show for his four years in office. In just ten months, Kenyans will have the opportunity to relieve him of the responsibilities he has failed to discharge,” it said.

The party portrayed Natembeya’s opposition to Ruto’s involvement in the market as part of a broader effort to protect devolution and the Constitution from interference by the national government.

“The fight by H.E. Governor George Natembeya over the market represents a consistent push by devolution warriors and believers in the sanctity of the Constitution to block the forces of regression, led by Ruto, from eroding our constitutional gains and undermining the rule of law,” Linda Mwananchi said.

The party further alleged that the heavy security deployment was intended to intimidate the governor, warning that the move would only strengthen its resolve to resist such actions.

“The intimidation and persecution of Governor Natembeya will only embolden us to stand firm and defy these attempts to return us to a dark era,” it said.

Linda Mwananchi vowed to pursue political change through the ballot and restore what it described as the constitutional order disregarded by the current administration. It also pledged to resist what it termed Ruto’s flawed economic approach being extended to county government projects.

The party urged Natembeya and residents of Trans Nzoia to remain firm, assuring them that they had the support of Kenyans in defending devolution.

“We stand with Governor Natembeya and the people of Trans Nzoia County. The Masinde Muliro Market must serve the people for whom it was built, with full respect for devolution, the Constitution and the rule of law,” the party said.