Friday, January 11, 2013

Jubilee takes campaigns to retired president’s Baringo backyard

Jubilee takes campaigns to retired president’s Baringo backyJubilee presidential aspirant Uhuru Kenyatta with his running mate William Ruto during a rally
By Alex Kiprotich and Steve Mkawale
The Jubilee coalition has exuded confidence that it will win the General Election in the first round.
Addressing rallies in Baringo County yesterday, the alliance presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, said they have the numbers and dismissed opinion polls showing Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his CORD partners as favourites to win the polls.
“Elections are won by numbers and nothing else, so let us face the facts and those showing signs of panic should accept the hard reality,” said Uhuru.
Ruto added in Mogotio Constituency, “The writing is on the wall. The magicians of opinion polls should know that numbers don’t lie.”
He said the coalition had done its calculations and they would garner around eight million votes in the elections — the first under the 2010 promulgated Constitution.
Have numbers
“We have the numbers to form the next government this year. Our team is focused and we will win the March election,” said the coalition’s deputy president designate.
Ruto told Cord to prepare to be in the opposition, saying in Kiswahili; “Ukiona mwenzako ananyolewa nawe tia kichwa chako maji.”
Prime Minister Raila Odinga has dismissed Jubilee Alliance’s claims that they have the numbers to win the election, saying opinion polls showed otherwise.
Uhuru recalled conceding defeat in the 2002 election together with Ruto and said then they were not lucky but in March there are all indications that they will form the next government.
“In 2002, luck was not with us after people with selfish interests deserted us and declared another candidate, but we accepted that. It is now ten years and all indications are that we will be the next occupants of State House,” he said.
He said the Jubilee coalition was a pact of peace and unity to enable the country grow economically and stabilise.
The team divided themselves in two groups that flew in three helicopters in order to cover four political rallies in Mogotio, Muchongoi, Churo and Kabarnet Town in the expansive county.
In the campaign trail were Samuel Poghisio, Lee Kinyanjui, Moses Sekuda, Maison Leshomo, Moses Lessonet, Sammy Mwaita, William Cheptumo, Aden Duale, and Mohammed Mohammud. Ruto explained to voters in the region that he joined hands with Uhuru to show the whole world that Kikuyus and Kalenjins were not enemies.
“I decided to form a political pact with Uhuru because we want the world to know that Kenyans have faith in us and they don’t believe we participated in the 2008 post-election violence,” said Ruto.
Tana security
On insecurity in the Tana Delta and parts of Baringo County, Ruto challenged security forces to be more firm on perpetrators of violence, saying the newly appointed Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo and police officers should “pull up their socks and tighten their belts” to improve security.
“We cannot expand the economy if we can’t protect the lives and property of the people of Kenya,” he said.
Uhuru and Ruto challenged Kanu chairman Gideon Moi to join URP, saying it was the party of choice in the region and that if he wanted to be the first Senator of Baringo County he should re-think his political stand.
“We have a lot of respect for former president Moi but Kanu’s time in Baringo County is over. He was the defender of pastoralists. We want the people of Baringo to vote ‘six-piece-style’ in the coming general election,” he said.
Uhuru added that his government would respect retired leaders, as they are like a gem to society.
“We respect Moi and when President Kibaki retires, we will treat him well as well,” he said.
Duale also put on notice Mogotio MP Hellen Sambili, telling her to defect to URP or lose her parliamentary seat. The Dujis MP said Jubilee would ensure equality, improve the economy and engage the youth and women in meaningful development through provision of cheap loans.



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