Be ready for another defeat, DP Ruto tells Raila

Deputy President William Ruto (left) and former Speaker Kenneth Marende in Vihiga on Septembr 14, 2017. [Photo/BENJAMIN SAKWA ]

Deputy President William Ruto insists that President Uhuru Kenyatta will defeat National Super Alliance leader Raila Odinga ‘with a wide margin’ in the October 17 repeat election.

Speaking on Thursday in Vihiga County during a campaign rally, DP Ruto said Jubilee would get more votes after some key leaders from the region defected from NASA to campaign for Uhuru.

“We defeated Raila with over 1.5 million votes in the last election. In the next election, we will win with a margin of over four million votes,” DP Ruto told supporters.

Votes to triple

In western Kenya, Uhuru got 242,388 votes against Raila’s 1,186,379. In Vihiga, the Head of State got 18,275 while Raila garnered 179,140 but DP Ruto said the votes would increase after former Governor Moses Akaranga joined Jubilee.

Josphat Amadi, who contested for the governor’s seat in the county as an independent candidate, has also declared support for Uhuru.

DP Ruto attributed the low number of votes that Jubilee got from the county to lack of campaigning. However, he said with the support of Akaranga and former Speaker Kenneth Marende, the votes would triple.

He asked area residents to support Uhuru, saying they stand to benefit more in Jubilee than NASA, which he said ‘lacks ideologies and development agenda’ for the country. [Alex Wakhisi]