Uhuru rules out dialogue as Raila digs in

For the second day running, President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday warned opposition leader Raila Odinga not to use the international community to push for the formation of a coalition government.

Addressing a series of political rallies in Laikipia and Nyeri counties, Uhuru said he would not engage Raila in any dialogue ahead of next week’s repeat presidential election.

The President, whose victory for the second term in office was nullified by the Supreme Court last month, maintained that nothing, not even foreign intervention, would stop Kenyans from taking part in the repeat poll.

“We accepted to have a repeat poll, despite the fact that we won. We however will not be pushed to sit and talk with someone whose main need is to just clinch power,” the President said.

The President’s announcement came on the same day that NASA dug in at a rally in Mombasa, maintaining there would be no election as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission had failed to level the playing field and was openly biased in favour of Jubilee.

 Uhuru said the choice of the leader to lead Kenya will be made by Kenyans and not through talks mediated by foreigners – but in an election.

He further castigated Raila for “refusing the will of the people and being driven by his desire to take power through the backdoor” by seeking help from abroad, instead of accepting the outcome of the people’s wishes.

 “Kenya does not have any problem because all problems are caused by one man called Raila Amollo Odinga. You cannot lead demonstrations where property is destroyed, people are attacked and police stations stoned and then start crying foul, we will take action against any such behaviour,” the President said.

Speaking in Nyeri, Uhuru said the NASA leaders can make as many foreign trips as they want, but must know that Kenya is not ruled from London or Washington and that all decisions will be made locally.

 He said while he is not opposed to peaceful demonstrations, the police will deal firmly with those who use such occasions to rob and intimidate others.

Deputy President William Ruto, who accompanied the President, insisted there will be no coalition talks to share power with Jubilee, saying there will be no repeat of the 2008 talks.

Ruto accused Raila of “acting as the chairman of the IEBC” and losing focus on vote-hunting, adding that the former Prime Minister is not interested in the repeat election set for October 26 and is seeking options to get to power.

“Foreigners will not help him because this is our country and we put our foot down...that Kofi Annan, or any arbitrator, is not welcome to Kenya to broker peace with someone not interested in an election. Kenyan voters will vote.”

Raila flew to the UK after he and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka announced their withdrawal from the election.

He met leaders, including Minister for Africa Rory Stewart, who raised concerns about the rush to amend election laws just few days to the repeat presidential election set for October 26. Stewart also said it is regrettable that the NASA chief withdrew from the race.

The DP, who spoke at Africa Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA), Bahati, Nairobi, county before joining the President in Nyahururu, assured the nation that the election will go on as planned and as stipulated in the Constitution.

Ruto, who was accompanied by several Jubilee leaders, dismissed opposition calls to boycott the repeat polls.

He said: “If it were up to us, we would have sworn in the President because he won the election. If it were up to our competitors, we would have formed a coalition government.

"But we have to respect the Constitution. The Constitution stipulates that if elections are nullified we have to hold fresh elections in 60 days. You cannot manufacture a crisis so as to seek foreign support to get to power. That is an illegitimate way to ascend to power.”

In Mombasa, where he addressed his first rally after jetting back from the UK, Raila told off Uhuru and Ruto, saying he was not interested in a coalition government, instead noting that his victory was stolen by the IEBC in collusion with Jubilee.

He told the crowd that his mission in the two-day visit overseas was to go and “set the record straight on matters election.

“We went to the UK to tell the truth. The ambassadors have been spreading lies," he said, citing the US and UK envoys in Nairobi.

He said UhuruRuto are using Kenyan ambassadors and High Commissioners to spread government propaganda abroad.

“I had to be present myself to set the record straight,” he said.

He dismissed remarks that he had gone to “kneel before my masters abroad.”

Raila who spoke at Mama Ngina Drive, told off Ruto for claiming he is clamouring for a coalition government, saying it was Ruto who introduced the coalition government in Kenya during the mediation talks after the infamous 2007 poll and post-election violence crisis.

He said Ruto had sensed he was going to be jailed by the International Criminal Court and he was looking for an escape route.

According to Raila, Ruto felt he would be vindicated if he were in government.

“Ruto was part of the team that negotiated. He was the one who proposed the coalition government,” Raila said.

He said he did not beg the international entities to force Jubilee to a negotiating table, adding the Thirdway Alliance presidential candidate Ekuru Aukot is a traitor for accepting to be part of a sham process.

The IEBC announced Aukot and other six candidates, including President Uhuru Kenyatta and excluding Cyrus Jirongo will take part in the fresh poll.

“The other candidates had less than one per cent in the annulled election. They had conceded. They have less than 10 days to campaign. They are shameless to accept the offer with these few days,” Raila said.

He said Aukot is a Jubilee puppet.

The NASA leaders, who included Moses Wetang’ula, Musalia Mudavadi and James Orengo, also said they are ready to pay the ultimate price - including jail and death - to ensure no poll is held on October 26.

They said the protest demos will go on, “even if the police sustain their killing spree”.

They called for sabotage of the economy by avoiding to pay taxes to force electoral reforms.

“We are ready to die to liberate our country," Siaya Senator Orengo said, mentioning the deaths of Ronald Ngala and Robert Ouko, who were “assassinated by the system” in the 1970s and 90s.

He said Kenyans will go to the ballot when Raila says so.

“Uhuru you are not above the law, you are under and deeply in trouble. Uhuru must go!” he said.

 

 

 

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