As Jubilee kicked off its membership recruitment ahead of nominations, Deputy President William Ruto gave five reasons why he believes the Jubilee Party will carry the day in the August polls… and with a huge margin at that/MOSES MUOKI
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 13 – Campaigns have already informally kicked off and the scramble for nomination certificates and votes is set to be witnessed across all parts of the country as both the Jubilee Party and the Opposition try to outshine each other among the electorate.
As Jubilee kicked off its membership recruitment ahead of nominations, Deputy President William Ruto gave five reasons why he believes the Jubilee Party will carry the day in the August polls… and with a huge margin at that.
They are points that saw the DP receive a standing ovation from a fully packed gymnasium in Kasarani, during the launch of the Jubilee Party membership smart card.
In 2013, Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto were facing serious crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Kenyans had been cautioned that choices have consequences.
“We are now free Kenyans walking freely in 2017,” said the Deputy President at Friday’s event.
According to Ruto, the 2013 elections were highly interfered with by foreigners.
The other reason why the Deputy President is optimistic that they will garner more than 70 percent of the votes cast in 2013 is that they faced the country while being under different political outfits which have since been merged to form the Jubilee Party.
“We will this year face Kenyans as one people under a national party,” DP Ruto said.
The third reason, he says that the Jubilee Party will face the country with a scorecard unlike in 2013 when they only made pledges and promises.
“We went to face the electorate with a list of pledges and promises but in 2017 we will face them with a scorecard that we are proud of,” he said to jubilation by the hundreds of aspirants.
The fourth, and which seemed to excite the aspirants was that unlike in 2013 when their opponents were the then Prime Minister Raila Odinga and then Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, in 2017 they are facing “a clueless, rudderless, leaderless, disorganised Opposition. That is why I want Kenyans to believe in Jubilee.”
And the fifth winning point according to the Deputy President is the context in which the politics of this year will be driven, unlike in 2013.
He said the 2013 politics was largely anchored on tribal and regional lines, but Kenyans now want to know what “you want to do for them. Want you have delivered. We are very proud that even the Opposition are beginning to talk about roads, water…all along they have been talking about this is from a certain tribe…”
He said the dynamics had changed and that the presidential aspirants must be willing to face Kenyans with real issues.
He also paraded leaders who had defected from the Odinga-led Orange Democratic Movement and Musyoka led Wiper Movement among them Karachuonyo MP James Rege.
“Let me ask you my fellow Jubilee members, do we have Kenyans from all parts of the country or not?” he posed. “God willing, we will win this election by 70 plus one.”
Aspirants were urged to lead a massive registration of voters and party members for their ‘dream’ to come true.
Leaders who spoke during the Friday function largely called for a free, fair and transparent nomination exercise, which the Jubilee Party Head of Secretariat Raphael Tuju says it will be ensured through the membership smart card.
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