President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. Uhuru has received backing from Tanzania's Chadema Party. [Photo: ibtimes.co.uk]
President Uhuru Kenyatta has received backing from unlikely quarters after Tanzania opposition party, Chadema, backed his re-election in the August election.The centre-right Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), campaigns largely on an anti-corruption platform according to The Citizen.Freeman Mbowe who chairs Chadema told the party's council meeting last weekend that Kenyatta was the right candidate for presidency and a better choice for democracy in Kenya.Saying the decision was reached after an ‘assessment’, Mbowe said they were dismayed by opposition leader Raila Odinga who supported Dr John Magufuli in his presidential campaigns in 2015.According to the publication, when Mbowe asked the council members how they could treat their friends' enemies, they responded: "Also your enemy," and then they broke into applause.In a tit-for-tat, Mbowe was quoted saying that Raila is a traitor having supported Magufuli instead of Chadema."We supported Raila Odinga during the 2012 elections in Kenya but to our surprise, when it came to the 2015 polls in Tanzania, he supported the CCM candidate. Odinga is a traitor," said Mbowe.Mbowe commended Uhuru for what he called ‘expanding democratic space’ during his term in office.The party leaders did not divulge details of the support they would give Uhuru.