President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto addressing supporters in Busia County. [Photo/ PSCU]Jubilee leaders have asked the National Super Alliance (Nasa) to stop interfering with the work of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) with the intention of derailing the August polls.
The leaders among them President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto cautioned the Opposition against interfering with the work of IEBC, less than two months to the August General Election.
Addressing wananchi at Amagoro Primary School grounds on Wednesday when they wound up a long day tour of Busia County wooing support for the Jubilee Party, the leaders told their Nasa counterparts to sell their agenda to Kenyans instead of interfering with the work of IEBC.
“To my brother Raila Odinga, please, start selling your agenda to Kenyans. Leave IEBC to do its work. IEBC has no votes its Kenyans who have the votes,” said President Kenyatta.
He said opposition leaders should have prepared themselves instead of giving unnecessary conditions to the electoral body since the date for 2017 election has always been known.
“Those we are competing with should have prepared themselves adequately because it was known from the word go that polls will be held in August 8. They should not interfere with the work of IEBC,” the President said.
Deputy President Ruto said Jubilee was not interested in which company was given the tender for printing ballot papers.
"We are not interested in the company that is awarded tender to print the ballot papers. We want IEBC to award the tender to any company including Spectre International that is owned by Raila Odinga’s family and Jubilee will still emerge victorious,” said the Deputy President.
“Our interest is not the company which will print the ballot papers because it is not the company that will vote but it is the people of our great nation who will vote come August 8,” he added.
The Deputy President pointed out that Opposition had sensed defeat and was now giving unnecessary condition to IEBC.
“If the Opposition does not want the ballot papers to be printed, is it really prepared for the elections?” asked Deputy President Ruto.
He went on: “If they are not ready for the August polls, they can alternatively wait for 2022 when there will be another election so that I deal with them accordingly.”
MPs Ababu Namwamba (Budalangi), Arthur Odera (Teso North) and Mary Emase (Teso South) told the Opposition to stop using IEBC as a scapegoat after sensing defeat ahead of the August polls.
They said they were confident Jubilee will win by a large margin come the August polls, saying the Government has initiated many development projects for the people of Western Kenya compared to the previous regimes.
“In 2013 General Election, Jubilee won in the absence of key leaders from Western like Eugene Wamalwa, Ken Lusaka and me. Does the Opposition even dream of winning the August polls when all of us have joined forces with Jubilee? No way,” said Mr Namwamba.
“Our brothers in Nasa should therefore stop using IEBC as a scapegoat because they know very well they are losing in the August elections,” Namwamba added.