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"I have thrown the ball in my friend Ruto's court and I am waiting his response" he said/FILE

Kenya

Raila determined to win Ruto’s backing

“I have thrown the ball in my friend Ruto’s court and I am waiting his response” he said/FILE

NANDI, Kenya, Nov 2 – Prime Minister Raila Odinga is optimistic that his effort to create an alliance with Eldoret North MP William Ruto in the run-up to the general election will work.

He said that he had already reached out and made representations to the URP leader and was waiting for a response.

“I have thrown the ball in my friend Ruto’s court and I am waiting his response” he said.

The PM made the remarks in Kapsisiywa in Nandi County during the burial of the late John Burgei Tuwei who was until his death chairman of the Nandi council of elders.

Odinga noted that he was committed to constructive engagement with all Kenyans of goodwill in the interest of promoting peace in the country.

He emphasised that he had no hand in the court cases facing four Kenyans at The Hague and dismissed talk that he was behind their woes.

“How could I take William Ruto and Henry Kosgey to The Hague yet they were my foot soldiers,” he posed.

The PM said that he held neither grudge nor incriminating evidence against the two because ODM as a party was ready to celebrate the 2007 elections victory and was equally surprised by the outbreak of violence after the polls.

He blamed those who rigged the elections for the post election violence that claimed lives of innocent Kenyans, and the predicament that later befell those facing charges at The Hague.

Kosgey’s charges were dropped by the court but Ruto, deputy premier Uhuru Kenyatta, ex-civil service chief Francis Muthaura and journalist Joshua arap Sang will face trial next year.

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At the same time, the PM reiterated that there was no need to tell Kenyans to vote peacefully because they know as witnessed during the last poll there were no cases of violence on voting day.

“The who rigged the elections and caused mayhem should be the ones to be advised to observe peace during elections so that there is no repeat of 2007,” he said.

ODM chairman Henry Kosgey said that the Kalenjin community has remained steadfast behind the presidency of Raila Odinga despite propaganda that it had shifted alliance.

Kosgey said that he will mobilise grassroots support so that Odinga wins the presidency because the PM has what it takes to transform the country.

Agriculture Minister Sally Kosgey told the Nandi community not to be swayed but vote for Odinga overwhelmingly as they did in 2007.

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