Ruto said the National Supper Alliance (NASA) was not ready for elections and wanted a “political solution” where power will be shared in boardrooms/DPPS
MOMBASA, Kenya, Sep 15 – Deputy President William Ruto has said Jubilee Party will not engage in negotiations with the Opposition because it was meant to frustrate October 17 repeat elections.
Ruto said the National Supper Alliance (NASA) was not ready for elections and wanted a “political solution” where power will be shared in boardrooms.
The Deputy President who took Jubilee campaigns to Mombasa and Kilifi counties said NASA leaders had sensed defeat and wanted a coalition Government.
Ruto said a boardroom solution being pushed by NASA would be akin to short-changing Kenyans and taking them for a ride.
“NASA is talking about a political solution to the October 17 elections because they have sensed defeat. They want us to negotiate how to share power and short change Kenyans on the impending elections,” he said.
“We are very clear they cannot allocate themselves power to deny Kenyans their constitutional right to elect whoever they want.”
“The only political solution available is for people of Kenya to go to the ballot and elect their leaders,” he added.
The Deputy President made the remarks at Wild Waters, Mombasa where he addressed over 2,000 Jubilee leaders from all the six counties of the Coast among them elected leaders.
They include Governors Salim Mvurya (Kwale), Fahim Twaha (Lamu), MPs Naomi Shaban (Taveta), Anwar Loitiptip (Lamu County), Khalib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga), Shariff Ali (Lamu East) among others.
Others were former Tana River Governor Hussein Dado, Former MPs Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi North, Ababu Namwamba (Budalang’i) and former Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi among others.
“We know what they want. They want us to negotiate for a coalition Government. It’s Kenyans who will decide on their President,” said Ruto.
He wondered why NASA was now asking for a “political solution” when it had initiated and pursued a legal solution to the election.
He said Jubilee will abide by the Supreme Court ruling and leave “political solutions” to be decided by the electorate.
“Why are they afraid and they have been chest thumping that they enjoy popular support? As Jubilee, let’s abide by the court ruling and ask our supporters to vote,” Ruto said.
He said President Kenyatta won the August 8 election and will win with a bigger margin in the October 17 repeat poll.
Ruto said Jubilee Party will not give any conditions ahead of the repeat elections.
He said NASA can ask the electoral commission to award it the ballot printing tender if it so wished.
“They have problems with the ballot. They have problems with polling clerks. Whatever they agree with IEBC we will not question. What we want is elections to be held on schedule.”
“Elections are not about ballot papers or polling clerks: it is about the people,” said Ruto.
He was accompanied by elected and other Jubilee leaders.
Ruto also addressed a rally in Mtwapa, saying Jubilee was not interested in the petition filed by Nyeri MP Ngunjiri Wambugu because it had no time to waste in petitions.
He said Jubilee was busy campaigning and does not want any disruptions.
He supported sentiments by President Kenyatta to have Wambugu drop the petition.
“We are busy campaigning for the re-election of President Kenyatta and we do not want any disruptions,” said Ruto.
Mvurya said the Opposition was not interested in contesting the repeat elections and that’s why they were employing delaying tactics.
He said leaders from the coast have resolved to work together towards the re-election of President Kenyatta.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Kadu-Asili’s Kazungu Kambi who said he will join Jubilee leaders to campaign for President Kenyatta.
Twaha told Jubilee leaders to launch serious campaigns in their respective areas to ensure President Kenyatta wins by a bigger margin come October 17.
“As our colleagues in the Opposition waste their time in press conferences in Nairobi, let’s go back to the grassroots and campaign for the re-election of President Kenyatta,” said Twaha.
Mung’aro said the Supreme Court has given Kenyans the opportunity to prove that President Kenyatta won in August 8 elections and the same thing will happen come October 17.
Namwamba told the NASA to withdraw from the race if it was not ready for the October presidential repeat polls.
Former Taita Taveta Senator Dan Mwazo wondered why the Opposition were now not ready for the repeat polls, saying they have sensed defeat.
About The Author
