President Uhuru Kenyatta in a public rally at Thika Stadium. [Photo/Courtesy of President Uhuru Kenyatta Facebook page]A section of Kiambu residents on Sunday rejected calls by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto for a six-piece voting pattern in the coming general election.
The Jubilee leaders appeal for voting only Jubilee candidates in August divided the crowd at Thika Sub-County Stadium, with a section of the people bitterly disagreeing.
The crowd waved placards and banners that read “UhuRuto sawa, others let the people decide”, in defiance with the leaders’ call.
At some point, the crowd drowned the leaders’ voices with chants of “Hatutaki suti!” (We don’t want six-piece voting) when the Jubilee top leaders tried to drum up support for their candidates.
The Deputy President was forced, at one time, to intervene and cool down the crowd “Haya basi tumeona. Wekeni hayo mabango chini sasa!” (Cool down now, we have seen. You can now pull down those placards)
A section of Jubilee supporters during a campaign rally at Thika stadium on Sunday, June 18, 2017. [Photo/Thika Town Today]The irate crowd turned rowdy and attempted to disrupt the programme when Thika Town MP and Jubilee candidate Alice Ng’ang’a was called to address her constituents.
Ng’ang’a was forced to cut short her speech in less than a minute after chants of “Jungle! Jungle! Jungle!” rent the air, completely disrupting her from addressing the gathering.
The first time MP is in a fierce battle with her rival Patrick Wainaina also known as ‘Jungle’ who is running as an independent candidate.
Last week during a campaign tour in the North Rift, President Kenyatta and DP Ruto were met with resistance in their attempt to vouch for six-piece voting.
In Elgeyo Marakwet, efforts by Ruto to endorse Jubilee candidates were received with jeers despite being assured of the presidential vote.
Area Governor Alex Tolgos is facing stiff competition from Moses Changwony who is vying as an independent candidate.