Balala now endorses Ruto for president
BY CORRESPONDENT
Updated : 319days and 17 hours and 11 minutes ago |
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MOMBASA, Kenya, Oct 24 – Tourism minister Najib Balala has thrown his weight behind his cabinet colleague William Ruto for presidency on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket in 2012.
The minister who appears to have broken ranks with ODM party leader Raila Odinga said the days of political dictatorship were gone and all party leaders had a right to eye the party's ticket for presidency.
“There is no short cut to democracy and all ODM candidates wishing to vie for Presidency on an ODM ticket will undergo party nominations to determine the party's torch bearer in the 2012 general election," said Mr Balala.
He told journalists in Mombasa that the Agriculture minister was within his democratic right to seek presidency on an ODM ticket since the party has no automatic candidate.
The Tourism minister termed those opposing Mr Ruto’s bid for the top seat as enemies of democracy.
"ODM is a national party and no leader should reduce ODM to be a regional or tribal party," he said.
Mr Balala accused a section of legislators of being a stumbling block to Mr Ruto's State House bid on an ODM ticket.
“Party members must ensure democracy prevails during the party’s presidential nominations ahead of the 2012 general election,” he said.
The Mvita MP asked his Eldoret North counterpart not to quit ODM and instead fight from within since it was his democratic right to aspire to be the party’s flag bearer during the next presidential election.
There have been reports that Mr Odinga is about to reconstitute his political team in the Coast province ahead of the 2012 elections by replacing Mr Balala with Kisauni MP Ali Hassan Joho as the ODM chief for the region.
Close allies of Mr Odinga have in the past accused Mr Balala of not doing enough to popularise the party at the coast province.
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| Comments (17) posted |
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| Asigo (October 29th, 2009, 11:56 AM) |
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| Ruto for the big office yes - let Him go for it but He should do it in a civilized way, He should come out clearly and not to bargain with the kalenjins ( numbers )The truth be told as for me I don't think for now He is the right person for that job lots of wounds be healed. |
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| marie (October 29th, 2009, 11:28 AM) |
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| Let the two remember that you can't commoit a sin and expect to get away with it. |
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| KING RUOTH (October 26th, 2009, 8:28 PM) |
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| Its amazing how ODMers are trashing Ruto, who in 2007, they praised as a hero. Now that he has chosen to excercise his democratic right to vie for the presidency, they demonise him.
To hounarable Ruto, i say GO RUTO GO, THE PRESIDENCY IS YOURS TO LOOSE. |
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| kiash (October 26th, 2009, 7:43 PM) |
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| This not news. Everyone, including the naive know that Ruto is a KANU turn coat. I Moi-regime loyalist who hid on ODM pro-reform flatform to cleanse himself, or should I say to fool Kenyans that he was never was involved in the 1997 clashes. Kenyans can never be hoodwinked and Balala and Ruto should await Ocampo rather making noise about non issues |
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| Francis Ontomwa (October 25th, 2009, 8:55 PM) |
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| Balala is way off base on this. The tourism minister ought to know it better that throwing his weight on his colleague Hon. William Ruto doesnt add any credit to him. Balala ought to be the last person to take such a move. As a key figure in ODM as a a party, Balala should otherwise act to strengthen the party and deliver inh his capacit as a a cabinet minister instead of involving himself in cheap myopic politics. |
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| bali sha (October 25th, 2009, 8:12 PM) |
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| Nobody has said that ruto is giulity. we dont even know that his name is in the envelope, but even if it were raila cannot remove it. So waht is his beef with raila. on the other hand raila has not said that ruto should not vie for presidency on an odm ticket. so what the matter |
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| Wapili (October 25th, 2009, 5:52 PM) |
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| Balala and Ruto must recall that Raila did not send anybody to kill or attack fellow Kenyans over the elections. Let them look up the meaning of mass action. Raila will be stupid to try defending the indefensible. Karibu bwana Ocampo. |
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| john (October 25th, 2009, 5:50 PM) |
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| I think the day the truth is known, the false will shy away. Ruto will one day be proofed and the prophets of falsewhood will be ashamed. This will make ruto the most clean of all and they will all hide the way the childred of Israel heed themselves against the light that was coming from moses when he came with the ten commandments. Go on ruto, we are behind you for what you do excites us. go on go on. the truth of the minority will be heard. go on, we love u we love u we love u. |
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| itz (October 25th, 2009, 5:06 PM) |
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| I think you are all missing the big picture here.There is a point to be made by Balala asking for more democracy in ODM.Raila and his cronies are used to handpicking candidates including presidential candidates for ODM through backroom deals.This in itself is dictatorial at best and show alot of hyprocrisy by the politicians.However, when this was happening in 2007 Balala and Company(Ruto) never complained then because it favored them at that time.I hope this incident helps create a level playing field for potential candidates in any party because as most of this hungry leaders have come to realize this practices come to bite you at one time or another.Raila is feeling it so is Balala and Ruto. |
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| Jahaz Mkwela (October 25th, 2009, 10:27 AM) |
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| Balala and that's the way you lose support in Coast. You've become very unpopular in Mvita and Mombasa in general through poor choices like this. You really are sinking low down the drain.
I still hope you'll reform and support the people' choice for president. RAO is regarded very highly in Coast...the other guy you are supposedly are endorsing is some arrogant greenhorn who thinks kenyans owe him afavor after all the crimes he's committed.
I really hope you were misquoted...other news sources are reporting that balala only asked for more democratic space in ODM. Hope Capital are not pushing partisan agendas here. |
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| Robert M. (October 25th, 2009, 10:23 AM) |
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| We have reached a state where one can not succeed with a 0 rated achievement record. This is because of the rate of illiteracy which has gone down. |
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| violah (October 24th, 2009, 7:33 PM) |
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| some of the kenyan citizens havent recovered from last years violence.....but since our leaders are thinking of themselves and what is best for them they have started campaigning for eachother......it shows how so dead kenya is |
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| Frank (October 24th, 2009, 5:09 PM) |
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| Let us hang together lest we be hanged separately.... Balala with his call for reduction of a certain community in kenya into a Lesotho and ruto's we shall uproot sangari gather it somewhere and then burn it seems to have backfired big time. what is now left of them is to stick together in their evil comradeship na bado !! |
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| Bryan (October 24th, 2009, 2:31 PM) |
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| This is why none of them wants to reform the Constitution. They all want to be President with all the trappings of power, however wonky the document is.
Ni wezi wote. |
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| Monica Mumbi (October 24th, 2009, 2:06 PM) |
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| This is interesting! They said bads of the same feather flock together. Did someone say that Balala and Ruto's names in the Waki's now famous envelope?
So what is bringing them together is travesty! They will one day stand on the same side of the court box! So why not start it now and get used to it. It makes sense.
I think Balala's support is a vain attempt to try to revenge for ODM's support for The Hague instead of their clarion call for reconcialiation.
Good luck Hon Balala. |
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| Alexander (October 24th, 2009, 1:19 PM) |
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| I am a bit astonished. How do they expected to run an election campaign from The Hague, Netherlands ? |
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| jako okinyi (October 24th, 2009, 1:04 PM) |
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| Kenyan leaders are just like chameleons. They change alliances for all the wrong reasons, political expediency, selfishness etc. ODM should not sink this low. |
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