No more sympathy votes, Governor Ruto tells off Jubilee over ICC claims

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has dismissed claims that NASA leaders are plotting to re-introduce ICC cases against President uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.

A section of Jubilee leaders had accused the Opposition of plotting to revive ICC cases.

“I have heard claims that NASA is plotting to re-introduce ICC cases against the President and his deputy. I want to tell them that ICC is a gone case. It was buried,” Ruto said.

The Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party leader said that in the 2013 General Election, voters elected President Uhuru and his deputy Ruto so they could sort the cases that faced them before ICC and that now that they are free, there are no more sympathies as they will be charged by the voters on the basis of their delivery of pre-election promises and development agenda.

“Let them stop playing the ICC card with this election. Let them not try to raise emotions of the people. It will not work. It will not sell. The voters will elect leaders on merit and not emotions,” Ruto added.

Speaking during a rally at Kongasis in Elementaita in Nakuru County, he further trashed claims by the DP that he was dividing members of the Kalenjin community ahead of the August 8 poll.

He accused the DP of politically auctioning members of the Kalenjin community instead of uniting them and pitching for equitable distribution of resources.

“The DP imagines that he has stuffed voters in Kalenjin land to gunny bags and would auction them to the highest bidder and when he is tired he sits on them in the market place. Unfortunately that would not apply in this year’s election,” Governor Ruto claimed.

Ruto said the lukewarm reception of the President and DP in some parts of Rift Valley was a clear indication their time was up and they should pave way for new leadership at State House.

He said the tyranny of numbers used by the Jubilee administration in the last General Election would not apply this time around.

Governor Ruto said NASA was keen on devolving 45 per cent of the national budget to counties to spur growth at the grassroots. [Patrick Kibet]