Uhuru, Ruto promise to end bloodshed

By Peter opiyo

NAIROBI; KENYA: Officials and legal representatives of The National Alliance and United Republican Party yesterday signed the two parties’ alliance agreement in public in Nairobi.

TNA Presidential aspirant Uhuru Kenyatta and his choice for running mate, William Ruto witnessed the signing of the legally binding documents at Jeevanjee gardens, a public park donated to residents of the city in 1906 by Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee.

The deal binds the two at the hip in the battle for State House and came a day after they held a joint rally at Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium for their supporters. Uhuru, the Deputy Prime Minister, credited himself and Eldoret North MP Ruto with the peaceful handover of power from retired President Moi to President Kibaki in 2002, claiming it was only possible because they led Kanu to cede victory to Narc.

“Every five years, Kenyans fight because leaders use them to ascend to power. But is only in 2002 that Kenyans didn’t fight because I conceded defeat,” said Uhuru.

Uhuru was handpicked by Moi and Kanu in 2002 to vie against the then Narc candidate President Kibaki, but lost by nearly two million votes after garnering 1,836,055 votes to Kibaki’s 3,647,658. In contrast, the 2007 race was so tight that the Justice Johann Kriegler-led commission that investigated the poll results said it was impossible to say who between Kibaki and Raila Odinga had actually won the contest.

Kriegler said: “the conduct of elections was so materially defective that it is impossible to establish true or reliable results for the presidential and parliamentary elections”.

On Monday, the Gatundu South MP again dismissed calls that he and Ruto leave the race for State House because they are international suspects facing trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands for crimes against humanity.

Saying it was their right under the law to run and for their supporters to vote for them Uhuru added: “Even the suspects have their own rights in their own nation... we said we will followdue process of the law but this should not mean we are denied our rights,” said Uhuru.

The charges facing the two arose out of post-election violence of 2008 that claimed 1,133 lives and uprooted more than 500,000 from their homes.

Ruto said should he and Uhuru win the presidency, they would ensure that the killings that come with every election would be put to a stop.

Voters’ choice

“Under our leadership and watch never again will blood will be shed on the grounds of political competition, that history would be firmly behind us,” said Ruto.

Ruto said it is the people of Kenya who have the final say whether to elect them or not.

“We demand because it is our right that the people of Kenya must speak.

Kenyans must retain their rights to vote their leaders,” Ruto.

URP Party Chairman Francis ole Kaparo and TNA’s Chairman Johnson Sakaja signed the deal, alongside lawyers Kipchumba Murkomen (URP) and Jasper Mbiuki (TNA).

The deal promises Uhuru’s TNA the post of National Assembly Speaker and URP Speaker of the Senate, while Cabinet Secretaries’ posts will be shared 50-50. The two and their team then walked to the Registrar of Political Parties’ offices at Anniversary Towers to deposit the signed copies of the agreement as required by law.

Tuesday is the deadline for political parties to deposit their pre-election pacts.

He said their campaigns would be run on issues and not personalities.

Uhuru said the door is still open for other leaders to join the alliance.

The Deputy PM took a swipe at the ICC saying it holds power on behalf of humanity and should leave Kenyans to elect their choice of leaders.

“The power held by ICC is held on behalf of the humanity, so let the humanity be given the freedom to elect their leaders. Kenya is a sovereign nation and we are determined to protect our sovereignty, so please let Kenyans exercise their democratic rights,” he told hordes of bystanders gathered at the Garden.

Former rival

The ICC has severally said its calendar is not influenced by Kenya’s politics or the elections but is focused on dealing with criminal cases.

The signing ceremony also saw Mvita MP Najib Balala reappear to join the team and announce he would work with former rival, Environment minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere to marshall support for the “UhuRuto” alliance in Coast Province.

Mwakwere and Kaloleni MP, Kambi Kazungu had in the past reportedly been uncomfortable with Balala’s inclusion in the alliance.

Work for peace

“This team is going to heal the past...Mwakwere and I are going to hold the Coast region together,” said

Balala as Mwakwere assured that they would work together.

Significantly absent was Water minister Charity Ngilu who also skipped the Nakuru launch of the alliance on Sunday.

Kaparo said their unity is meant to bring peace and change the lives of Kenyans.

“This unity is meant to harmonise our policies to ensure there is peace in this country.so that our government would change the lives of Kenyans,” the former Speaker of the National Assembly said.

“Sealing this alliance is not for pursuit of power but for the opportunity for Kenyans to have hope in the future. We want to assure Kenyans that this alliance would hold,” said Sakaja.