Jubilee leaders rule out dialogue on October 26 election

Nakuru East MP David Gikaria joined Jubilee Brigade for a dance during a function at Nakuru Show Ground: PHOTO Harun wathari/standard

Jubilee leaders have rubbished call for dialogue between the ruling party and the Opposition on the current political situation in the country by immediate former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo and former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando and Narc-K leader Martha Karua.

Speaking during a rally in Nakuru, the leaders led by Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru said that the government will not fail in defending the constitution to yield to every demand from the opposition.

The three central Kenya leaders had on Sunday called for dialogue between opposition leader Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta as a way of averting a repeat of the 2007 post-election violence.

Governor Waiguru lashed at the three saying that they should avoid bringing in more confusion to the Jubilee camp by claiming to be in support for the Jubilee administration and at the same time supporting what the party doesn’t believe in.

“The only way that dialogue should be held on matters of the country’s presidency is through the ballot. Any other discussions should be treated as sideshows and will never prevail over the constitutional provisions,” said Waiguru.

The governor called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure that the National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate Mr Odinga appears on the ballot as long as he has not signed all the required documents to effect his alleged withdrawal.

“Until he fills in form 24A Mr Odinga should remain a presidential candidate for the October 26 repeat polls. They should treat every electoral form with the same seriousness they did when they sought the nullification of the presidential elections where forms prevailed over numbers,” said Waiguru.

Kisii Woman Representative Janet Ongera , Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and Nairobi Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga during a function in Nakuru: Photo Harun Wathari

Her sentiments were echoed by Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria who told off the opposition claims that there will be no elections on October 26 saying that they won’t allow a single candidate to continue holding the country hostage.

Kuria warned the opposition against interfering with the planned repeat poll exercise saying that the government will ensure that the exercise is well guarded in all areas to allow every Kenyan to independently decide.

“No amount of pressure from the opposition will stop the country from moving forward. The least we expect from NASA is them to grant us peace during the polls and any attempt to stop the process will be met with full force of the law,” said Kuria.

The legislator added that the country had already committed itself into multibillion tenders for the repeat polls sought by NASA and will not be fair to all Kenyans to see all that money go to waste at the expense of development.

“It is clear that the opposition is taking the humility of our President for weakness. They sought nullification of his victory and were granted. The IEBC has yielded to most of their demands and Sh12 billion has been channelled for a course they called for. Their withdrawal points at their insincerity when they first went to court,” said Kuria.

He added that NASA’s current approach to the situation should not be taken lightly saying that there is more than the face value of them boycotting the polls and they have a hidden agenda.

Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika defended the recent amendments on the electoral laws saying that they were meant to seal loopholes for rigging and ensuring those found culpable of electoral irregularities are punished.

She dismissed allegations by NASA that the laws were meant to aid in stealing the votes saying that Jubilee has the numbers and needs not to rig for them to win.

“The opposition is insincere in their allegations on the new amendments. The claims that the laws are meant to favour Jubilee are farfetched as they are in line with what they had demanded immediately after the Supreme Court ruling.