NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 29 – Opposition Leader Raila Odinga has asked President William Ruto to face him and stop sharing Kenya’s political issues with the international community.
Speaking during a meeting with the Nubian Community in Nairobi, Odinga said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) servers must be opened to determine who between him and President Ruto won the 2022 presidential election.
“There is no need for Ruto to go to Germany and start talking about Raila there. Come here and let us talk. Open the server and let us see what is in there,” Raila said.
He further called on International community not to meddle with Kenya’s democracy saying Kenya is capable of solving her own problems.
“We have told the international community to let us be allow us to resolve our issues as the Kenyan people. We do not want to be taught about democracy by other countries. We are Kenyans and we are capable of solving our issues the Kenyan way,” he said.
President Ruto had earlier maintained that the weekly demonstrations called by Opposition leader Odinga had nothing to do with the cost of living but the 2022 presidential election outcome.
Speaking during an interview on Germany’s Deutsche Welle (DW), President Ruto accused Odinga of using demonstrations so that he can unconstitutionally get a share of the government.
“The riots in Nairobi are not so much about the cost of living. It is so much about some election results which is actually a settled matter but because cost of living is a pregnant issue; it is an emotive issue, our competitors are trying to take advantage but I think the people of Kenya are a lot wiser,” President Ruto said.
The veteran politician has called for regular protests every Monday and Thursday, accusing President Ruto of stealing last year’s election and of failing to control the surging cost of living.
“The opposition is asking for some discussions about an election that was held some six months ago. An election that was given a clean bill of health by the EU, AU and all observers. An election that was witnessed by international and local observers. That conversation is a conversation outside the Constitution,” Ruto said.
The Head of State, however, said his government is committed to addressing the challenges of the high cost of living.
“We have had to rethink about our agriculture how do we do things differently so that we avoid dependency on the global supply chain of these commodities because we have had challenges accessing fertilizer and grain,” said Ruto.
President William Ruto is away on an official visit to Germany and Belgium.
On Monday, the protesters defied a warning by the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome that the demonstrations in Nairobi and in Odinga’s stronghold of Kisumu were “illegal”
At least four people have been killed and property worth millions destroyed since last week when the protests started last.
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