Uhuru and Raila do not have your interest at heart — Aukot

Third Way Alliance Party Leader Ekuru Aukot address Homa Bay town locals during a drive to collect signatures for a referendum yesterday. He accused Uhuru and Raila of serving their self-interests. [James Omoro, Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga have been blamed for setting a bad example to Kenyans who seek political leadership in Kenya.

The Third Way Alliance Party Leader Ekuru Aukot has accused the two leaders of signing a truce after using divisive politics to divide Kenyans ahead of last year’s General election.

Aukot argued that during the electioneering period, Raila and Uhuru used insulting words to refer to each other in their strongholds to gain political superiority.

Speaking in Homa Bay town yesterday when he took his referendum campaign in Homa Bay County, Aukot said Uhuru and Raila demonstrated to Kenyans that they were campaigning for their own selfish gain ahead of the election.

“The two used to insult each other during campaigns in their strongholds. For example, you heard you heard Uhuru referring to Raila as a mad man while Raila referred to him as a drunkard but they work together today. These people were fighting for their self-interests,” Aukot said.

He argued that the co-operation between Uhuru and Raila had shown that the two lacked the interest of Kenyans in their hearts.

“Time has come for Kenyans to know political leaders who can serve interests of the people,” said Aukot.

He claimed they had a tendency of recycling old political leaders saying it was an obstacle to youths who want to ascend to power.

The constitutional expert expressed concern that political leaders always intend to cling to power until their deaths.

He argued that the trend must change lest the county will fail to get youthful leader with new ideas.

He challenged the youth to change their voting patterns to ensure young people ascend to leadership of this county.

“Youths are always described as leaders of tomorrow but the tomorrow does not come because the elderly political leaders cling to power. Youths are the majority and they are the people who should use their votes to reverse the trend,” added.

In his proposals for the referendum, Aukot wants the county’s wage bill reduced.

Some of the modalities of achieving the reduced wage bill include reducing the President’s salary to Sh500,000, MPs’ salaries to Sh300,000 and scraping the post of deputy governor.

He also wants to the cost of running parliament reduced from Sh36.8billion to Sh5billion per year.

Aukot also wants to amend chapter six of the constitution to create time limit for trying corruption suspects so that they are sentenced for life if found guilty.

Aukot toured Kabondo Kasipul constituency before concluding his tour at Homa Bay town.