President Kenyatta to accept defeat if beaten in August polls

President Uhuru Kenyatta has assured Kenyans that he will accept defeat if he trounced in the August 8 2017 polls.

Speaking at Eldoret State Lodge, the Head of State – who is set for a rematch with  said that he is ready to hand the mantle of leadership peacefully.

“I’m ready to stand aside for a peaceful transition if beaten. I did the same in 2002 by conceding defeat even before the announcement of the final tally. I had to wait for my turn for another 10 years and here we are” said President Kenyatta.

Uhuru also urged his competitors to accept the poll results and maintain peace during the election period.

“We should carry out peaceful campaigns. Elections will come and go but we remain as a nation,” said the president.

In a veiled attack on the Raila Odinga-led NASA outfit, Uhuru said politicians should stop engaging the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in political battles – this remark coming after the Opposition took the polling body to court earlier this year.

“We should not engage IEBC in endless political battles. IEBC should be blemish-free and held in high esteem by the people they serve. Any attack on IEBC is an attack on the guardian of democracy,” said the President.

Uhuru reminded Kenyans of the consequences of the 2007/2008 post-election violence, urging them not walk down the same path this year. He also reinforced on the need to respect democracy since it represents the voice of the people.

“Our democracy was hard-won and should be protected. We should show the world that we can govern ourselves,” added Uhuru.