He told Opposition leader Raila Odinga to prepare to meet him again at the ballot but should not expect a coalition government/PSCU
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 2 – President Uhuru Kenyatta has said he is ready for a repeat election, saying the supreme will of the Kenyan people will once again prevail.
President Kenyatta restated that he will go back to the people and prove that he won fairly during the August 8 election where the will of the people was expressed.
He told Opposition leader Raila Odinga to prepare to meet him again at the ballot but should not expect a coalition government.
“What we want is the supreme will of the people of Kenya to prevail. And as I have said before, the opposition are not interested in the election but a back door route for a nusu mkate (coalition) government,” President Kenyatta said.
The President spoke on Saturday at State House, Nairobi, during a meeting with Jubilee and affiliate parties Members of County Assembly (MCAs) from across the country. The MCAs were also accompanied by Governors, Senators, Woman Representatives and Members of National Assembly.
President Kenyatta – who was accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto – called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to declare the new date for the repeat election as directed by the Supreme Court.
The President said any attempt to sack IEBC officers will be rejected, saying the repeat election will determine whether it is the supreme verdict of the court or the supreme will of the people that will carry the day.
He told the Opposition to forget the disbandment of the IEBC, and rest assured that the electoral body will conduct the fresh polls ordered by the Supreme Court.
“We are law abiding people and want peace but that should not be misconstrued to mean we are fools or cowards,” President Kenyatta said.
He added: “We are ready for the election in 60 days as directed by the Supreme Court and we will not allow the opposition to intimidate us just because they can shout.”
The President commended Kenyans, especially Jubilee supporters, for remaining calm and upholding peace even though they did not agree with the Supreme Court’s ruling that nullified his election.
“I am proud because you have proved that unlike our opponents, you are people who believe in peace and uphold the rule of law,” President Kenyatta said.
Saying Jubilee will remain focused of improving the welfare of Kenyans despite the Supreme Court’s ruling that nullified his re-election, President Kenyatta asked the MCAs both from Jubilee and affiliate parties to avoid wrangles and work together with governors to deliver service to residents.
He pledged to work with the governors and also do whatever he can to ensure smooth operations of MCAs.
Deputy President Ruto said disbandment of IEBC was a conspiracy to sabotage a fresh election in the hope of securing a coalition government but that will not prevail.
“Our message to NASA is that there shall be no nusu mkate government,” the Deputy President said.
The Chief Justice has had his day, the Deputy President said, but “ours is coming”.
The DP ruled out any possibility of disbanding the IEBC, saying the opposition was the force behind the establishment of the current electoral commission.
“The IEBC presided over the election of NASA elected leaders. If the opposition has a problem, they should ask their elected leaders to resign,” the DP said.
The Deputy President pointed out that Jubilee got massive support from Kenyans at all levels on August election.
“We won fair and square. We got 800 elected MCAs (56 per cent) out of 1400, 27 Senators (58 per cent), 169 MPs (59 per cent), 29 governors (62 per cent), 31 women reps (66 per cent),” the DP said.
He wondered how Jubilee could win at all these levels and not win the presidency in elections held by the same agency.
Democracy, the Deputy President said, is about the will of the people.
The Deputy President added that the success of Jubilee has a force behind it and that is President Kenyatta.
“We are unapologetic about our victory, and we won’t succumb to intimidation from the courts,” the DP said.
The meeting was also addressed by governors from Jubilee and affiliate parties, senators including Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen and Speaker Ken Lusaka, and members of National Assembly led by Majority leader Aden Duale.
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