Uhuru woos Busia residents, says Raila should retire

President Uhuru Kenyatta has launched a scathing attack on the opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga and his co-principals, saying that “it is time they retired from politics”.

Speaking on Wednesday, May 14, during his campaign rally in Budalang’i, Busia County, the president exuded confidence of trouncing his fierce rival, Raila Odinga, in the August 8th, 2017 polls while insisting that it is time the former prime minister hang up his political boots.

“If we were able to beat our competitors back in 2013 when the ghost of International Criminal Court (ICC) was following us, what will make us lose this time round? I will send these people home once and for all,” said President Kenyatta amid cheers from the charged crowd.

The Head of State reiterated that he is confident of winning the presidential race not because of playing tribal politics, but by virtue of the development track record of his administration to transform lives of Kenyans, as opposed to his opponents’ mere rhetoric.

“When we came into power, only 7,000 households were connected to electricity but now Jubilee has connected 50,000 more households. NASA has specialized in hurling insults,” added President Kenyatta.

The President, however, called upon Busia County residents to vote for him as voting for the Raila Odinga-led opposition outfit will be a step forward and two steps backward for Kenyans,.

The Jubilee Party leader heaped praise on Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba for making a ‘bold step towards transformation’ when he ditched the opposition outfit (ODM) and joined friends of Jubilee in the Labour Party of Kenya.

On his part, Deputy President William Ruto assured residents that the government has imported enough maize from Ethiopia, Ukraine and Russia for Kenyans to enjoy the subsidized maize flour, and took swipe at the opposition calling on them to explore other issues and agenda to talk about in their campaigns.

“We have brought more maize for people to enjoy the low price unga. I want to send a warning to retailers that the subsidized unga should not be sold to Kenyans with conditions that you have to buy another item first, that is not right,” said the Deputy President Ruto.

The ruling coalition has for the past week camped in the Western region, an area perceived to be an opposition stronghold, and its leadership believes that they have been able to woo a significant amount of voters who proved elusive to them in the 2013 polls.

Jubilee has been able to lure top leaders from the region into their side including Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, and MPs Dan Wanyama (Webuye East), John Waluke (Sirisia) and Ababu Namwamba (Budalangi).

Senate Minority leader and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has, however, laughed off these claims, insisting the region still remains solidly behind NASA terming the president’s frequent visits as ‘mere public relations exercise’ to an administration that has failed Kenyans.

Mr. Raila Odinga is trying the last shot at the presidency, a seat that has slipped from him thrice, in 1997 against retired president Daniel Moi, 2007 against retired president Mwai Kibaki and in 2013 against the incumbent president Uhuru Kenyatta.