NASA is a power-hungry cartel – DP William Ruto

Jubilee Party brigade led by Deputy President, William Ruto, on Sunday, May 21, took President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election campaign to Northern Eastern’s Mandera County in a move aimed at consolidating Jubilee support in the region.

The party is facing a litmus test in Mandera County with the elders having anointed a line up leaders to vie for various political seats on the Economic Forum Party (EFP) banner under negotiated democracy arrangement.

Governor Ali Roba, the Jubilee point man in the county, is leading the rebellion against the elders’ wish terming them as a bunch of folks who have lost touch with the people’s demands.

Roba is insisting that the people of Mandera should be given a chance to elect their preferred leaders in an open democratic process.

Mandera County voted overwhelmingly for Jubilee administration during the 2013 General Election with 98 per cent of votes counted, with a majority of leaders clinching the seat under the defunct United Republic Party (URP) which was led by DP Ruto.

Ruto urged all parties and independent candidates supporting President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term in office to work harmoniously to deliver a landslide win for Jubilee.

The pro-government leaders present at the Mandera rally dared the opposition coalition, National Super Alliance (NASA), to boycott the August polls saying they (opposition) can wait for 2022 polls if they are not ready for the forthcoming elections.

“Whether the Opposition likes or not, Kenyans will vote on August 8,” said National Assembly Majority Leader, Aden Duale.

The Jubilee leaders concurred that NASA has resorted to threats and insincere demands for the government to reform the electoral commission on realization that they have lost support among Kenyans.

Duale termed the opposition’s demand to be involved in recruitment and deployment of Returning Officers (ROs) as petty and reckless.

“Opposition leaders should stop reckless talks over the ongoing reforms at the IEBC because they are not ready for the August elections,” he said.

The leaders insisted that Kenyans must exercise their constitutional rights on August 8, with or without the opposition’s participation.

DP Ruto termed the opposition as a power-hungry cartel, only interested on sharing government positions as opposed to serving the interests of Kenyans.

“Jubilee believes in politics of empowerment and jobs creation while our colleagues in the Opposition believe in the politics of power sharing, negative ethnicity and propaganda,” said Ruto.

Ruto asked aspirants in the forthcoming elections to put the aspirations of Kenyans ahead and desist from politics that can trigger hatred and animosity among Kenyans.

“As leaders we should not be obsessed the positions we will get but transform the lives of our people. That’s the dream of the Jubilee team,” added Ruto.

He asked Mandera leaders to put aside their political differences and work together to ensure 100 percent win for Jubilee.

The Deputy President promised that the government will review the curfew in Mandera during the Holy month of Ramadhan.