DP Ruto asks Raila Odinga to challenge him in 2022 presidential race

Raila Odinga, William Ruto (Photo: Courtesy)

Deputy President William Ruto has challenged Opposition leader, Raila Odinga, to face him in the 2022 presidential race.

DP Ruto asked the National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate on Monday to give President Uhuru Kenyatta an opportunity to run the country for another five years as he (Raila) gets ready for 2022 race.

He added that Raila should stop the current chaos ahead of the October 26 repeat presidential poll since he withdrew from the election.

“Since you withdrew from the fresh poll, why are you demonstrating and causing commotion? Allow us to elect President Kenyatta on October 26 and prepare to meet me at the ballot in 2022 if by then you will be ready,” Ruto told Raila.

“If you decided you are not interested in the October 26 fresh election and withdrew from the race, we are appealing to you to allow us to elect our President in peace,” the DP reiterated.

President Uhuru told Raila to stop interfering with the fresh poll and instead focus on his personal issues after withdrawing from the showdown.

“Now that Raila Odinga has withdrawn from the race, he should allow other Kenyans to participate in their democratic right of electing their leaders,” Uhuru pointed out.

The President, Ruto and other Jubilee Party leaders traversed the counties of Garissa, Kitui and Machakos wooing residents to support them in the much-anticipated poll.

President Uhuru had on Saturday (October 14) accused Raila of tainting the country’s image abroad to win support from foreigners ahead of the repeat poll.

Speaking when he addressed a rally at Ndumberi in Kiambu County, Uhuru said that the best way that foreign countries can help the Opposition Chief is to buy him an air ticket back to Kenya.

“If they (foreign countries) want to assist him (Mr Odinga), the best help they can give him is to buy him an air ticket to get him to Kenya to start campaigns so that the people of Kenya can make their choice on the 26 October,” Uhuru said.

The Head of State also warned foreign countries saying that they should not interfere with Kenyan matters as the country is sovereign.

The former Prime Minister left the country Wednesday night (October 11) for the United Kingdom where he gave an address on the political situation in Kenya.

Upon arrival in London Raila met with the global head of the Anglican Church, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and later with Lord Mark Malloch Brown, a former British minister of African Affairs.

Raila said it is only through his withdrawal from the showdown that the country will have a credible, free and fair election as per the law.