President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto addressing residents in Malindi, Kilifi County. [Photo/ PSCU]
Deputy President William Ruto has said the opposition NASA has sensed defeat and its leaders are now hell-bent on using courts to delay elections.
The DP who spoke in Malindi, Kilifi County on Saturday, however, said the opposition’s delay strategy will not succeed assuring Kenyans the August election will be held as planned by the IEBC.“We are telling them that Kenyans are ready for the elections and will not allow them be delayed beyond the August 8 date,” Ruto who was in the company of President Uhuru Kenyatta said.On July 7, the IEBC appealed a High Court decision that terminated the tender for the printing of presidential ballot papers.IEBC in their appeal said the decision by a three-judge bench of the High Court to bar Dubai-based Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company from printing presidential ballot papers did not consider serious facts raised before it.The commission now wants the Appellate Court to hear the matter urgently and to set aside the judgment in its entirety.Jubilee politicians led by Uhuru have continuously claimed the unending court cases by NASA against Al Ghurair and the IEBC is a ploy to delay the election and “join the government through the back door”.On June 15 while on a campaign trail in Kericho, Uhuru said the elections will be held as scheduled.“They wanted commissioners out. We agreed even though we did not support the move. Now they are contesting the award of the tender to print ballot papers. It appears these people are not ready for the elections,” he said.“We are ready even if they want Mudavadi to oversee it. Enough is enough. We know the games they are planning.