Raila holding country back, claims DP Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto has told off National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga over his demands to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), saying that Raila is holding back the country.

DP Ruto who was accompanied by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s son, Muhoho, during his tour of Nandi County on Sunday said that Raila should make good his threat to boycott the elections instead of frustrating IEBC’s preparations for the repeat presidential poll.

“Kenya has 6.5 million unemployed youth who are looking for jobs and the government is expected to realize free secondary education in January. It is also expected to build roads and provide maternal care for women we have to move on and one person cannot stop us.” DP Ruto said.

President Kenyatta’s son called on Kenyans to maintain peace in the build up to the repeat presidential election.

“We are grateful to the people of Nandi for working with us and as we head to the repeat election, let us maintain peace,” Muhoho urged.

Earlier, Jubilee Governors Stephen Sang and Jackson Mandago castigated the former Prime minister, claiming statimg that he is plotting to use unconstitutional means to ascend to power.

“We are hearing our friend telling us that there will be no elections on October 26. There are only three ways to do that: one is when Raila withdraws as a candidate and Uhuru is declared President, two is through a coup and the third one is through violence,” Nandi Governor Stephen Sang said.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago said that Jubilee will not accept development to be derailed by leaders who want to repeat an “already decided election.”

“We shall never again accept to use State resources to repeat an election that reflected the will of the people. In any case Kenyans need to move on with their lives,” Mandago said.

Irreducible minimum

This comes after NASA leaders indicated that they will not go to the polls if their conditions are not met by IEBC.

Speaking during a church service at PAG Kangemi on Sunday, NASA Co-Principal Kalonzo Musyoka maintained that the IEBC has to meet the coalition’s demands before it can participate in the fresh poll.

“We maintain that our irreducible minimum conditions must be met by the IEBC. The commission surrendered our independence to a third party by placing our servers in France and that is why we will not allow Safran and  Morpho to be involved in the repeat presidential election,” Kalonzo said.

NASA wants IEBC officials who it accuses of bungling the August 8 polls hounded out of office and prosecuted.

In addition, the opposition has demanded Safran and Morpho a French biometric systems supplier be blocked from supplying IEBC with the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) and Al-Ghurair stopped from supplying ballot papers.