William Ruto accuses Opposition leaders of plotting to delay August elections

Deputy President William Ruto and Narok Governor Samuel Tunai with a delegation from Maasai land at the DP's Sugoi home in Uasin Gishu County. [Photo: DPPS]

Deputy President William Ruto has assured Kenyans that the August General Election will be held as scheduled.

Ruto accused the Opposition of creating excuses on preparedness with view to delaying the polls.

“The Constitution says Kenyans will vote in August this year and we will go on as scheduled,” said Ruto.

He wondered why the Opposition was opposed to the manual back-up system and yet all the necessary processes towards elections are done manually.

“The Opposition has always introduced roadblocks. They complained about IEBC, which has been disbanded, now they are complaining about the manual back-up system. These are just excuses to delay the election,” said Mr Ruto.

The Deputy President dismissed the Opposition, saying it has no agenda for the country and is also not prepared for elections scheduled for August.

“The Opposition knows well they cannot compete with Jubilee, that’s why they are looking for excuses. But we want to tell them they should be ready for elections in August,” he said.

Addressing a delegation of leaders from Trans Nzoia County at his Sugoi home in Uasin-Gishu County on Monday, the Deputy President said: “Some people with disabilities cannot be identified electronically. How will they participate in the elections. Some persons have no biometric identification and have a right to vote like the rest of Kenyans,” Ruto said.

He lamented that some people were giving many excuses to delay the elections.

The leaders from Trans Nzoia said they had decided to support Jubilee because it has the interest of all Kenyans at heart.

The leaders called on Kenyans to support the Government ‘because it has what it takes to lead the country to further economic prosperity’.

Cabinet secretaries Eugene Wamalwa (Water and Irrigation) and Charles Keter (Energy), and MPs Robert Pukose (Entebbes), Janet Nangabo (Trans Nzoia County Woman Representative), Lazarus Wafula (Saboti), Wesley Korir (Cherangany), Governor Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu) and former minister Noah Wekesa were present.

Ms Nangabo said residents of Trans Nzoia had resolved to support the Jubilee Party because it was the only party committed to unity and development among all Kenyans.

 DIVISIVE POLITICS

“The people of Trans Nzoia have decided to work with the Jubilee administration because this is a party that has the interests of all Kenyans at heart. Opposition leaders are only interested in divisive politics,” said Ms Nangabo.

The leaders said political parties under Jubilee Party believe in ideologies of peace, poverty alleviation, one nation that Kenyans will be proud of.

He appealed to Kenyans to use their voting rights wisely by electing responsible leaders who will steer the country’s development to greater  heights and uphold what those who fought for independence wanted.

Mr Wamalwa said residents of Trans Nzoia were firmly behind the leadership of Jubilee and expressed confidence that they will re-elect the coalition in August.

The Cabinet Secretary urged those who were yet to register as voters to do so.

Wamalwa said Kenyans are not ready to engage in mass action, noting that Kenyans have learnt from the 2008 post-election violence that led to the killing of over 1,000 people and displacement of over 600,000 others.

“We will not take Kenya the road of 2008 again. Kenyans have learnt a lesson and will not be misled to engage in mass action,” said Wamalwa.

Opposition leaders have called for mass action to protest a move by the Government to amend election laws that were negotiated with the Opposition.