Uhuru Kenyatta explains why he is confident of big win as IEBC team clears him

 

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Vice William Ruto receives Presidential Nomination certificate from the IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati at KICC 29th May, 2017 Nairobi. PHOTO by Moses Omusula

President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged voters to turn the General Election into a vote of confidence for his government.

Mr Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, cited infrastructure growth, investment in education, allocations for social welfare, more households connected to electricity, and improved health care to make a case for a second term.

Dressed in the trademark Jubilee red, the President arrived at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) at 3.30pm and within minutes of receiving the green light from the electoral agency, made an impassioned plea to Kenyans to re-elect him.

The small room where the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) bosses were waiting to receive the candidates came alive as the President presented his papers.

He asked Kenyans to give him a second chance to enable him to complete his development projects.

Uphold dignity

"There is a Kenya before the elections and there shall be a Kenya after the elections... we are determined to ensure that we conduct our campaigns peacefully as we seek to uphold the dignity and diversity of our people... we shall respect the wishes of Kenyans," he said at KICC.

He added: "I would like to assure all Kenyans that the Jubilee Party stands for peace, prosperity, and progress. We have no intention of obstructing or abusing our opponents. Our only desire is to sell our policies..."

The Head of State made his entry at KICC after a day-long tour of Nairobi during which hundreds of Jubilee supporters waved and danced on the streets.

The tour started at Pipeline Estate in Embakasi before the motorcade snaked its way along Jogoo Road, meeting crowds at Doonholm, Buru Buru, City Stadium, and Muthurwa Market.

"You want us to continue with our development projects or you want stories by our opponents?" Mr Ruto asked at Muthurwa Market, the last stop before the entourage made its way into the city centre.

Uhuru was cleared to run for a second term in the presence of First Lady Margaret Kenyatta and a host of Jubilee MPs. He later addressed a campaign rally at the adjacent Comesa grounds.

Among those who accompanied the President were National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, MPs Ababu Namwamba (Budalang'i) and Isaac Mwaura (nominated), and Nominated Senator Beatrice Elachi, who is contesting the Dagoretti North parliamentary seat.

President Kenyatta, 55, hopes to ride on the Jubilee administration's achievements. He has promised to deliver on the pledges he made in 2013 that have not been delivered.

Among Jubilee's poster projects is the standard gauge railway, the modernisation of hospitals, and increased access to electricity and other social amenities.

"We are asking you to support us for another five years so that we can continue with our development plans. We have allocated Sh5 billion so that our children can go to school from Standard One to Form Four without paying school fees. Under Jubilee the elderly have received financial support, our hospitals have been modernised, and our youth have been empowered," Uhuru said.

He added: "In our manifesto, we have also increased the amount of money that will be given to the elderly. From next year, all Kenyans aged 70 years and above will access money to take care of their needs."

The Head of State asked Kenyans to give him a second chance so that he can complete the projects that the Jubilee administration launched four-and-a-half years ago.

"We have connected more Kenyans to electricity and in the next five years, we will make sure that we connect 70 per cent to power. We will continue building roads and the day after tomorrow, we will ride in a train from Mombasa to Nairobi, courtesy of the standard gauge railway," Uhuru said.

He also delved into the unga debate, saying his government had done its best to address the high cost of maize flour.

"When the cost of unga hit the roof, we did not run away from it. We made sure that we imported maize from all over the world to reduce the cost. Today, a two-kg packet of maize flour is selling at Sh90. Our focus is to make sure that all Kenyans get it," Uhuru said.

He took a swipe at the Opposition National Super Alliance (NASA), accusing it of spreading propaganda and its leaders of being hell-bent on causing trouble.

"We saw them here yesterday when they said they are ready now to start war in the country. Jubilee's focus is to unite Kenyans but not divide them along tribal lines," the President said.

He added: "We start a journey for peaceful campaigns that will take us to all Kenyans to ask for their votes. We won't divide Kenyans based on ethnicity or religion. We are focusing on 45 million, not the 10 million targeted by the Opposition."

He called on the Opposition to stop name-calling in their rallies and instead focus on what they plan to offer Kenyans.

Strong team

"The Opposition is only spreading propaganda and abusing us. Show what you can do for Kenyans for them to entrust their future into your hands. Sell your agenda and leave Jubilee alone," Uhuru said.

He promised that the August 8 General Election would be free and fair. "I thank the people of Nairobi who have been with me from morning as we moved around the city. You have shown that you are not tribalists by nominating leaders from all ethnic groups to represent you," Uhuru said.

Ruto said Jubilee had assembled a strong team that would make sure it retains power.

"Today marks the beginning of Uhuru to be sworn in again on August 8. We have assembled a serious team to win. Ours is led by Uhuru and we will go to each corner of the country to ask for votes," Ruto said.

"We have a track record of good performance... We have a transformational agenda to make sure that the country is industrialised to create jobs for the youth," he added.

The DP accused the Opposition leaders of not serving Kenyans when they were in government.

"NASA principals Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang'ula, and Isaac Ruto have been in government for 115 years yet they did nothing," Ruto said.

[Story by Wilfred Ayaga, Protus Onyango and Moses Nyamori]