DP Ruto scoffs at Raila’s threat to boycott fresh poll

Deputy President William Ruto has told off National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, over his recent threats to boycott the October 17 presidential election until their demands are met by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), saying that Raila has no power to stop the commission from conducting the polls.

Speaking while on a tour of Busia County, Ruto who was accompanied by a section of Busia leaders said that Kenyans have the right to choose the leaders they want during the repeat poll without interference.

“NASA saying that there will be no election on October 17 is unacceptable, every Kenyan has a right to vote and choose a leader of their choice and that is non-negotiable,”  said Ruto.

The DP also urged Busia residents to support Jubilee in the coming elections terming the ruling coalition as ‘the winning side’

“God has decided that we were not going to form the next government without the people of Busia and therefore residents of this county should rally behind Jubilee because we are the winning team,” DP Ruto said.

NASA demands

This comes after the NASA coalition issued IEBC with a raft of demands that it wants met before the election is held.

During a rally at Jacaranda grounds in Embakasi on Sunday September 17, NASA leaders said that IEBC cannot conduct a credible election as currently constituted and announced plans to ‘sensitize’ the public on the need to reform IEBC.

“Unless our irreducible minimum reform demands are met by the IEBC, we shall not have a repeat presidential election.” NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga said.

NASA wants the electoral commission Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba and other commissioners who it claims bungled the elections to resign before the election is held.

The opposition also wants Dubai-based firm Al-Ghurair barred from printing ballot papers for the repeat presidential election.

In addition, Raila does not want KIEMS kit supplied by French firm OT Morpho being used in the fresh presidential poll.