ODM leader Raila Odinga toured Deputy President William Ruto’s Uasin Gishu backyard where he urged residents to back him in 2017 and denied claims he was behind the International Criminal Court (ICC) cases.
The ODM leader said there was no way he could have been behind the tribulations of Ruto at the ICC as he was competing against President Kibaki in the 2007 elections and the Deputy President was part of his team.
“We were competing against Kibaki and Ruto, Kosgey (Henry) and other leaders were in ODM. There is no way I could have taken my people to The Hague,” Raila said after attending a church service at Segero SDA Church.
He also revisited the Mau Forest debate and exonerated himself from accusations that he ordered the evictions an issue which was used by local politicians to deny him votes in 2013.
“Such statements are all politics it is clear that former Minister Noah Wekesa was the one who signed the eviction gazette notice and not me,” he added.
The former Prime Minister said during the Grand Coalition Government they had set aside funds to purchase land and resettle the evictees, a move that has not been fulfilled to date.
Raila also took a swipe at local leaders who stormed Moi University to protest the appointment of Prof Laban Ayiro as the acting Vice Chancellor.
“I do not believe in demonstrations because all appointments should be done on merit. The move was improper for a position of a Governor now that university is not devolved,” he said.
The ODM leader urged Rift Valley residents and leaders to shun tribalism and divisive politics.
He castigated leaders who rally their communities behind them terming it a recipe for ethnic balkanisation. “Most politicians will start rallying their own communities behind them in a bid to win votes but they forget that is a recipe for ethnic balkanisation which we should shun,” he said.
Raila dismissed claims that he was popularising ODM at the expense CORD and accused individuals out to create friction in the coalition through propaganda.
“The party is strong and we are together as CORD.The coalition is a home and in three months’ time Kenyans will have many other parties joining us to advance our agenda of taking over the country’s leadership,” he added.
The former Prime Minister denied inciting Kenyans to arm themselves during the march to the IEBC offices to force the commissioners to quit during a rally in Narok on Friday.
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