State House race takes shape as Uhuru, seven others cleared

The race for State House has taken shape after Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Monday cleared President Uhuru Kenyatta to defend his seat a day after clearing his main rival Raila Odinga.

Accompanied by thousands of supporters after snaking his way through the city in a tour that took him to Pipeline, Jogoo road, Madaraka, City Stadium, Muthurwa, Wakulima market, Railway roundabout, Kencom and City Hall, President Kenyatta majestically entered the Kenya International Convention Centre where he was the last presidential candidate to be cleared by the IEBC.

So far, eight candidates have been cleared to vie for the presidency in the August 8th General Election. The cleared presidential candidates include President Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila Odinga, Mohammed Abduba  Dida, Dr Ekuru Aukot, Prof Michael Wainaina Mwaura, Japhet Kaluyu and Joe Nyagah.

“We humbly request the Kenyan people to give us their votes and to give us peace during and after the General Election,” said the Head of State moments after IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati accepted his papers.

President Kenyatta was accompanied by the First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto, Nairobi Governor aspirant Mike Sonko and his running mate Polycarp Igathe, Nairobi Senate aspirant Sakaja Johnson, Kiambu Governor aspirant Ferdinand Waititu Babayao among many other Jubilee Party leaders.

“The Jubilee Party stands for peace, unity, progress for all Kenya,” said Kenyatta, “and the people of Nairobi have chosen Mike Sonko, a Kamba, and Sakaja Johnson, a Luhya, to lead them because tribalism has no place in our party.”

President Kenyatta exuded confidence that he would clinch the presidency for a second term to “complete the projects that his administration has initiated.”

The Deputy President Ruto accused the opposition of traversing the country spreading propaganda against the Jubilee government, saying that National Super Alliance (NASA) leaders have nothing to show for the many years they were in government.

“They know they are going to lose in August. They shared political seats and now one of them is gunning for a gubernatorial seat, another for a senate seat while another kicked Eliud Owalo out of his job to be a campaign manager,” quipped DP William Ruto.

President Kenyatta  urged Jubilee Party supporters to turn up in large numbers to vote for him in the August 8th General Elections.

Jubilee Party faces stiff competition from the opposition NASA who have field a strong outfit comprising several political parties including Orange Democratic Party, Wiper Party, Ford Kenya and Chama Cha Mashinani.

The president defeated eight candidates in 2013 contest running under The National Alliance (TNA) Party ticket garnering 6,173,433 votes against the runners up Raila Odinga who garnered 5,340,546 votes.

Jubilee narrowly beat CORD coalition after surpassing the 50 per cent + 1 vote benchmark for a first round win in a bitterly contested race.