NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 8- Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala has urged the youth to support Deputy President William Ruto’s presidential bid saying he has high chances of winning the upcoming 2022 polls compared to his closest political nemesis ODM Leader Raila Odinga.
Speaking on Saturday during a rally in Eldoret where Kalenjin elders endorsed Ruto for the presidency in the August election, Malala who is a member of the Musalia’s Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) party further rooted for an alliance between the Deputy President’s party UDA and ANC.
“When I was the Deputy Minority leader and had an independent mind, those people from Azimio la Umoja ousted me and replaced me with a retired judge instead of giving the post to another young guy. Do you think such people will prioritize the needs of young people if they go into the government? Malala posed.
But the statement was immediately disowned by ANC Party Secretary-General Simon Gikuru who said they were not sanctioned.
“The ANC party would like to disassociate itself with the activities taking place at Eldoret Sports Club Grounds. ANC has not sent anybody to represent either the party or the Party Leader in the said function. The official party position should only come from P L or the SG,” he tweeted.
DP William Ruto addressing a rally in Eldoret on January 8, 2021.
Malala, who has been in the company of DP Ruto for more than twice told off proponents of Raila Odinga’s Azimio La Umoja Movement, saying ANC will not inherit their enemies and the party is ready to work with other like-minded people.
“I am a member of ANC and our party is under One Kenya Alliance (OKA) but that does not stop us from being friends with other parties. If Musalia Mudavadi came to Uasin Gishu to look for friends and fortunately or unfortunately became friends with DP, is that a bad thing? I want to tell the Azimio people without blinking my eyes, your enemies are not necessarily our enemies and your friends are not necessarily our friends,” said Malala.
Last week on Friday, DP Ruto attended a football tournament organized by Senator Malala at the Mumias Sports Complex, Kakamega County where he also hinted at a possible alliance with Mudavadi.
