President Uhuru Kenyatta with Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga. [Photo/courtesy]
President Uhuru Kenyatta has termed the intimidation of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Judiciary by the opposition as cowardly and a factor of dictatorship.
President Kenyatta said democracy is about giving Kenyans space to make their choice freely but not to intimidate the IEBC and Judiciary.
“Intimidation is a factor of dictatorship and cowardice. Kenyans should be given space to choose the leaders they want without threats,” he said.
The President was speaking in Nairobi today during the Democratic Party’s National Delegates Conference which endorsed his candidature in the August polls, becoming the sixth political party apart from Jubilee to support the President’s re-election.
Other political parties that have already endorsed President Kenyatta’s re-election are the Frontier Alliance Party (FAP), Maendeleo Chap Chap, Narc Kenya, KANU and Economic Freedom Party.
The President said the opposition’s threat that there will be no election unless its demands are met by the IEBC is an impediment to a peaceful process.
“People should concentrate on looking for votes peacefully instead of threatening the IEBC and the Judiciary. If you believe people will buy your agenda, you do not have to use threats and intimidation,” he told the opposition.
Reiterating his commitment to democracy and transforming the lives of Kenyans, President Kenyatta said he will not waiver in his quest to unite the country.
“If we continue having peace and are united, I believe we will achieve a lot in terms of growth and development,” President Kenyatta said.
The Democratic Party, led by its party leader Joseph Munyao, said they supported President Kenyatta’s re-election because of his development track record.
“We have observe the performance of President Kenyatta and his Administration; and we are pleased with his achievement,” Mr Munyao said.
Mr Munyao spoke strongly against the threats by the opposition to the IEBC and the Judiciary, saying they were a major hindrance to democracy as he declared his party’s support for President Kenyatta.