DP Ruto proposed formation of Nusu Mkate govt Raila says

National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga has launched a scathing attack on Deputy President William Ruto accusing him of propagating false claims that the opposition is pushing for a coalition government, yet he [Ruto] was a key player in the making of the 2008 Grand Coalition Government.

Speaking on Sunday October 15, during a campaign rally at Mama Ngina Drive in Mombasa, Odinga accused Ruto of being hypocritical in claiming that NASA is fighting for ‘a nusu mkate government’ yet he [DP Ruto] was a big beneficiary of the 2008 government led by President Mwai Kibaki and him as the prime minister.

“In all their [Jubilee] rallies they are saying that I am only interested in a nusu mkate (coalition government) but in 2007 it was William Ruto who proposed the formation of a coalition government and used his influence in ODM to ensure it became a reality,” Raila said.

Odinga, however, reiterated that NASA is not interested in a coalition with Jubilee but wants to run an administration “that will be an all inclusive government, improve the lives of poor Kenyans and initiate people-driven policies on infrastructure.”

“Ruto was among the people who convinced me to accept the coalition government back in 2008. He even told me to accept and make him minister for agriculture…now what is he saying, we are not interested in a nusu mkate government,” said Odinga.

The former prime minister maintained his stance of pushing for reforms at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). He insisted on open and transparent deployment of returning officers as well as the blacklisting of Al Ghurair Printing Firm and French Company OT Morpho from printing of ballot papers and supplying of technology for the fresh poll.

The ODM Party leader also called out Jubilee for failing to deliver on their campaign pledges to Kenyans, accusing Uhuru’s government of abetting massive corruption and tribalism.

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula faulted IEBC for including five other presidential candidates on the ballot, saying that the poll body is trying to sanitize an already flawed electoral process.

The Ford Kenya Party leader insisted that NASA is not afraid of going to an election, a notion Jubilee leaders have been propagating owing to the withdrawal of Mr Odinga from the repeat poll scheduled for October 26.

“You, IEBC, have done the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen in my life. You have now included the likes of Japheth Kaluyu and my brother Cyrus Jirongo on the ballot. IEBC is doing this to sanitize an already flawed process,” said Wetangula.

Jirongo was left out in the newly gazetted list of candidates for the repeat election after the High Court declared him bankrupt for failing to service his debts. The other seven contestants who took part in the August 8th presidential election will be on the ballot for the repeat election, IEBC has maintained.