Raila’s ‘militia’ to blame for low voter turnout, says DP Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto now says that opposition leader Raila Odinga organised ‘militia’ to scuttle the repeat presidential election on Thursday, October 26.

Speaking in an interview with Al Jazeera on Sunday evening, Ruto blamed Mr Odinga for the low voter turnout in the recent election, saying the opposition leader sponsored the chaos and violence that frustrated the polls in certain regions, mainly opposition political bedrocks.

“Those people who did not vote did not manage to vote because of violence that was sponsored by Mr Odinga in his region. Infact, he (Odinga) organized militia that stopped citizens from accessing polling stations. He organized militia to stop IEBC officials [and] electoral material from getting to polling stations,” Ruto said.

The deputy president added that the government will neither dialogue with NASA on matters election nor hold another fresh presidential election within 90 days as demanded by Raila Odinga.

“Our statement and our position to our friend Mr Odinga is that Kenya is a constitutional democracy and every imaginable situation has been provided for by the constitution. Whatever he is alleging about an election in 90 days is nowhere in the constitution and no one person however important or popular they think they are can change the provisions of the constitution,” Ruto stated.

“There will be no election in 90 days, there will be no discussion on matters to do with election. We will have dialogue with Mr. Odinga on other matters and not matters that have been settled by the people of Kenya in their supreme will on the ballot.”

The DP did not divulge more on the “other matters” the Jubilee administration was willing to negotiate with the opposition.

While announcing the transformation of NASA into a resistance movement last week, Odinga reiterated the call for fresh elections within 90 days.

“We will mobilise all progressive forces in the country to ensure a fresh, free and fair presidential election is organised within 90 days,” Raila said.

Meanwhile, the opposition leader is tomorrow expected to make a new announcement on the way forward after the controversial repeat election.