President Uhuru now asks IEBC to declare him president after Raila withdrawal

President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) and his deputy William Ruto address residents of Kaloleni during their tour of Kilifi County. [PSCU]

President Uhuru Kenyatta says the electoral commission should hand him victory after Opposition leader Raila Odinga withdrew from the October 26 repeat election.

The President and his deputy William Ruto accused Raila of wasting time and public resources by pulling out of the poll ordered by the Supreme Court on September 1, following his petition challenging Uhuru's victory in the August 8 elections.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati had declared Uhuru the winner by close to 1.5 million votes.

Uhuru and Ruto, who were joined by other Jubilee Party leaders for a rally at Voi Stadium in Taita Taveta County on Tuesday said Raila should not have stopped the President's swearing-in if he knew he would not take part in the repeat poll.

"The NASA leader went to the Supreme Court and the judges ruled in his favour. He has wasted time and resources allocated to the exercise by withdrawing from the poll," said Mr Ruto.

"We set aside more than Sh12 billion for the fresh presidential election. This money could have been used to rehabilitate roads and other mega projects to improve the living standards of Kenyans.”

Many obstacles

Uhuru said: “NASA leaders have put up so many obstacles yet they knew they were not going to participate in the election. Why did they go to court in the first place?

“Whether Raila likes it or not, Kenyans will participate in the repeat poll because it is their democratic right to choose a president of their choice. We are proceeding with the election without our competitors," he added.

“We in Jubilee are ready for the repeat election. We will go to the ballot without Raila. I won the August elections fairly, by more than 1.5 million votes."

“Going by the number of MPs, senators, governors, women representatives and members of the county assembly Jubilee got in August 8 General Election, I won, but the will of the people was subverted by the court,” Uhuru said.

Only competitor

Ruto challenged IEBC to declare Uhuru the winner since his only competitor had withdrawn.

“We want to say without fear of contradiction that Kenyans voted for Uhuru Kenyatta with more than 8.2 million votes against Raila’s 6.2 votes in the August polls. Since Raila has withdrawn, then the only thing left is for the electoral commission to declare Uhuru Kenyatta the winner,” said Ruto.

"It is Raila's constitutional and democratic right not to participate in the poll. If he has chosen not to run, we are ready to go without him."