DP Ruto taunts NASA request for help

DP Ruto addresses residents of Majani Mingi in Rongai, Nakuru County.

Deputy President William Ruto has accused the Opposition of attempting to sabotage August 8 polls.

Speaking in Rongai constituency, Nakuru County,where he intensified Jubilee Party campaigns, the DP berated the National Super Alliance (NASA) for writing to the British Government to ask for intervention in an alleged vote rigging scheme by Jubilee ahead of the August polls.

“Kenyan issues should be dealt with by Kenyans. We are an independent country but our friends want to take us back to the colonial era where every small issue is rushed to the British High Commission,” he told Jubilee supporters at Majani Mingi trading centre.

Ruto was reacting to a NASA letter to British High Commissioner Nic Hailey calling for his intervention over claims that Jubilee was planning to use security forces to rig the polls.

Whereas Jubilee has insisted that officers need to be trained and deployed to maintain law and order during the polls, NASA argues they will be used to interfere with the voting.

Ruto said the NASA leaders were busy manufacturing unnecessary excuses to derail the elections because they were not ready for the polls.

“They wasted time looking for a candidate to face President Kenyatta and I. And now they have tried to use the courts to stop the August 8 polls but they have failed. The elections will take place on August 8 – whether they are ready or not.”

Security agencies

Ruto wondered why the NASA leaders were criticising security agencies mandated to maintain law and order before and after the elections, saying the Government had a duty to ensure that everyone was safe.

“You cannot claim to have problems with the military, police and other security agencies yet you want to be the president of this country. You must trust the security agencies in your country,” he said.

The DP was accompanied by Nakuru Jubilee Party candidates led by Lee Kinyanjui (governor), Susan Kihika (Senate), Liz Chelule (woman rep) and Kibet Komen (Rongai MP).

Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and his Energy counterpart Charles Keter were also present at the rally. They did not however address the meetings.

No agenda

At a separate rally in Tinet, Kuresoi South, Ruto told residents that the Opposition had no agenda for Kenyans, adding that it would be better if Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka pulled out of the race.

“First, they started by fighting the IEBC commissioners and hounded them out of office, then they complained about the voter register and filed endless cases in court to try and derail the elections. They are now back in court trying to stop the elections,” he said.

At the same time, Ruto promised to back a Luhya for President if the community rallies behind him in 2022.

Speaking at Seregea in Likuyani constituency yesterday, Ruto told Western residents that Raila will not pass over the mantle to one of their own if they vote for NASA in August 8 poll.