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Ruto slams Opposition for seeking foreign funding to sway 2017 poll

Ruto said Kenyans should be allowed to elect their own leaders without influence from outsiders/DPPS

Ruto said Kenyans should be allowed to elect their own leaders without influence from outsiders/DPPS

BUSIA, Kenya, Oct 23 – Deputy President William Ruto on Saturday criticised the Opposition for seeking external financial support to influence 2017 General Election.

Ruto said Kenyans should be allowed to elect their own leaders without influence from outsiders.

The Deputy President said it was unfortunate that Opposition leaders led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga were soliciting financial support from outsiders ahead of the 2017 General Election.

“It is unfortunate that some Opposition leaders are asking foreigners to fund their campaigns and influence the General Election,” said Ruto.

Speaking at Bukhalalire High School in Butula Constituency in Busia County, Ruto said Kenyans were well placed to elect leaders of their choice and do not need support from external forces.

The Deputy President said Kenyans voted for the Jubilee Administration during the 2013 elections despite pressure from outsiders for Kenyans not to vote for him and President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“In 2013, these people got their friends in the West to try and influence our elections by filing cases against the President and I at the International Criminal Court, but Kenyans saw right through that plan and rejected it. Kenyans made it clear that they are ones to choose their leaders. Similarly, 2017, it is for Kenyans to decide who their own elected leaders, it will not the West or the money from the West,” Ruto asserted.

Ruto was reacting to media reports quoting CORD leader Raila Odinga’s remarks during the London Political Summit hosted by the London Metropolitan University, where he made a strong case for foreign funding of Opposition political parties and cautioned that the West’s undivided support for dubious incumbents in the name of fighting terrorism and containing China’s influence would boomerang against them.

He said the international community’s one-sided support for incumbents feeds the notion that opposition to the government of the day is unpatriotic and amounts to sabotaging the national agenda.

According to the article, the former Prime Minister informed the summit that the Opposition in Kenya is grappling with fundamental reforms in the electoral infrastructure.

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He further explained that the Opposition has been proactive in unearthing massive government corruption, forcing debate on government projects that had massive negative impact on the environment and stopping unconstitutional amendments to the law.

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