2017 elections will be free and fair, Deputy President William Ruto assures Kenyans

DP meeting with Kisii and Nyamira political and opinion leaders. DP William Ruto is mobbed by delegates after a meeting with members of the Kisii and Nyamira political and opinion leaders at his Sugoi home. [Photo/DPPS]

Deputy President William Ruto has assured Kenyans that the General Election next year will be free, fair and peaceful.

Mr. Ruto said those preaching violence whether in Jubilee or the Opposition should be subjected to the due process of the law.

The Deputy President said it is the democratic right of Kenyans to elect leaders of their choice without intimidation. He dismissed claims by Opposition leaders that there were plans to rig the election, saying the claims were unwarranted.

“What Kenyans want is a free and fair democratic process,” said Ruto.

“Those talking about political violence whether in the Jubilee side or the Opposition should not be tolerated," he added.

The Deputy President said those alleging rigging in next year's elections were engaging in propaganda that he said was informed by fear of losing the elections.

"All these claims you hear about rigging and violence is nothing but propaganda by people who are losing support and Kenyans must ignore them," Mr Ruto said. "We do not want to engage in divisive politics. We want to create peace and stability for our country," said the Deputy President.

Addressing leaders from Kisii and Nyamira Counties who visited him at his Sugoi home in Uasin Gishu County yesterday, Ruto urged Kenyans to embrace peace and reconciliation.

Earlier, Opposition leader Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party had accused Jubilee of planning to rig the next elections using money and violence. The party claimed a pattern similar to that seen in the International Criminal Court (ICC) report ahead of 2007 elections has begun to emerge in the run up to 2017.

MPs allied to the ODM party led by its chairman John Mbadi further claimed that principal actors have begun to emerge and finances to buy the vote and fund violence are being mobilised through corruption. The leaders spoke a day after the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko directed police to investigate Mombasa businessman Suleiman Shahbal for allegedly making inflammatory remarks in Kilifi last weekend.

Mr Shahbal had in the presence of of the Deputy President said the Jubilee Party would win 2017 polls by force or "buying or stealing votes".

The Orange leaders asked the President to publicly denounce Shahbal's statement.

"We want Uhuru to publicly censure Shahbal for the reckless remarks. Otherwise we will have no option but to conclude these leaders represent the President's position and that of his Government and we, in Opposition, should prepare accordingly," Mr Mbadi said.

He went on: "We shall not accept anything less than a free, fair and transparent election. Anybody attempting to rig the election through any means should also be prepared to deal with the consequences."

Ruto hosted a delegation of 2000 leaders among them eight MPs and a deputy governor from Kisii and Nyamira counties. The trip, coming 19 months to the general elections scheduled for August 2017, is seen as a move meant to consolidate support for the planned Jubilee Party.

Yesterday's closed door meeting was the third after the DP met another delegation of more than 6,000 delegates from North, South and Central Rift Valley region and later another from Western shortly before Christmas, last month.

It comes barely months before the anticipated dissolution of Jubilee affiliate parties to merge under Jubilee Party in March –a political outfit that President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto will use as a vehicle to seek re-election next year.

Sources yesterday indicated that the meeting had earlier been scheduled for last month but was postponed following claims of a hitch on who to lead the delegation to the DPs home. However, the leaders from Kisii and Nyamira later resolved the difference and settle for yesterday's meeting with Maangi leading the delegation. Kisii and Nyamira governors with their senators and some MPs skipped the meeting.

Report by Titus Too, Fred Kibor, Erick Abuga, Rawlins Otieno and DPPS