Uhuru Kenyatta pleads with supporters to register as voters

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses supporters at Gatunyu market, Murang'a County. He is in the region to champion voter registration. [Photo: Kibata Kihu/Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta started his voter mobilisation tour of Mt Kenya with a passionate plea to his supporters to register in large numbers.

He said his victory will depend on how his stronghold registers in readiness for the August polls.

At the same time, Uhuru expressed confidence he will win another term, saying he had fulfilled most of the election promises and that the country's economy was looking up.

Dismissing claims that the 2013 election was rigged in his favour, Uhuru urged his Mt Kenya backyard to register in large numbers to ensure he beats the Opposition with a bigger margin to remove any doubt.

"I hear they (Opposition) are saying the last election was rigged, which is completely false. To ward off such claims and ensure we emerge victorious with a large margin, people should come out and register in large numbers," Uhuru said.

He added: "If we thoroughly beat them, there will be no room for claiming the vote was manipulated. I'm confident Kenyans will give me another chance for the work I have done."

He took a swipe at the Opposition, saying its leaders were hell-bent on diluting the achievements of the Jubilee administration.

"We can’t have people who will make us take two steps forward and five backwards. Kenyans are tired of empty talk," he said.

Pleading with the Opposition and all political aspirants to preach peace during the campaigns, Uhuru committed to ensure the elections are held in a peaceful environment.

"Let all politicians ask for votes in a peaceful way. Elections come and go but the country will remain. We are ready to keep part of our bargain," he said.

Despite being accompanied by local leaders, it was only Uhuru who spoke on all stop overs saying his mission was to personally appeal to locals to participate in the voter registration.

Among those who accompanied the President on the whirlwind tour that took him to all constituencies in Murang'a was 2013 presidential candidate Peter Kenneth, Murang'a governor Mwangi wa Iria, and his political rival Jamleck Kamau.

Mr Kenneth who has declared his intention to vie for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat was wildly cheered on all the stopovers the President made.

Apart from the local MPs and MCAs, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi was the only notable non local leader present in the entire Uhuru tour.

The President also directed all registration bureaus to release all Identification cards lying in their offices across the country to allow the youth to register as voters.

He reiterated that every Kenyan had a right to acquire an ID card anywhere in the country saying applicants should not be referred to their place of birth.

"We should look for a way of ensuring that all the processed IDs are delivered to their owners since it is their democratic right to participate in the elections," said the President.

Speaking at different stop overs in Murang'a where he monitored the ongoing voter's registration, the President said it was by people registering in large numbers that his victory would be decisive.

Like Opposition leader Raila Odinga's call, Uhuru said this year's presidential battle would be won or lost in the voter registration exercise.

"I'm pleading with you to take up your voters cards now, don't wait until the last day, make the decision now and register. We want this exercise to be fruitful. That is why I'm coming here personally to ask you to register," the President said.

In all the stop overs, Uhuru asked for an assurance from the locals that they would turn up in large numbers to be registered and also cast their vote in the August elections.

"Kindly tell me if you will heed to this call. Are the youth ready to take this route and be counted?" he posed in most of his stop-overs.

Before starting his tour, he met local leaders at Thika Greens Resort.