(PSCU) – President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto today said Kenyans will not succumb to intimidation, affirming that the fresh presidential election will be held on October 26 in line with the Constitution and the Supreme Court ruling.
Addressing a huge campaign rally at Sirisia in Bungoma County, President Kenyatta reiterated that nobody will be allowed to prevent Kenyans from exercising their democratic right.
“The same way you will be exercising your democratic right in boycotting the election, there are millions of Kenyans – who do not make noise like you but are waiting for October 26 to vote and you cannot deny them their right,” President Kenyatta told the opposition.
The President reminded opposition leader Raila Odinga that he is the one who went to court to seek fresh election and should not stop Kenyans from expressing their will through the ballot.
“The most sacred right of citizens is the right to vote for their elected leaders. There is no person who can deny Kenyans their constitutional right,” President Kenyatta said.
President Kenyatta, at the same time, assured Kenyans of adequate security to exercise their democratic and constitutional right to vote in the October 26 fresh election.
The President emphasised that nobody will be allowed to muzzle Kenyans’ voice by disenfranchising them so as to get power through the back door.
Deputy President Ruto said Kenyans are ready for the October 26 fresh election and nobody will stop it from happening.
“We have a date with destiny on October 26. It cannot be that one person is allowed to always take the country in circles. Instead of preparing for the fresh presidential election you (Mr Odinga) are organising for violence against officials of IEBC and you want to tell us you are a democrat?” the Deputy President posed.
The DP said Mr Odinga’s call for demonstrations and violence is a sign of impunity and dictatorship which is unacceptable to Kenyans and will not be tolerated.
“It cannot be that a person goes to court to push for fresh election and then instead of preparing to participate he goes ahead to call for demonstrations and instigates violence,” the Deputy President said.
He urged Kenyans to turn out in large numbers on October 26 to vote out the impunity and dictatorship that the opposition want to ride on.
“We should come out on October 26 to vote and tell the opposition that it is the people of this country that will decide who will be president. It is not their violence, it is not their conditions,” the Deputy President said, adding that Mr Odinga cannot decide for 45 million Kenyans.
Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen said Mr Odinga cannot hold the country hostage, saying the October 26 fresh election to entrench the country’s democracy which the opposition want to undermine.
“It will not be possible to hold elections in future if the October 26 poll does not happen because it will set a trend where people will be mobilising their communities to demonstrate against the electoral agency whenever they sense defeat like Mr Odinga is doing now,” Mr Murkomen said.
“We must vote on October 26 and this vote is about saving the country from people who want to curtail the country’s democracy,” the Senate Majority leader said.
Other speakers included Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka, Water and Irrigation CS Eugene Wamalwa, MPs John Waluke (Sirisia) Didmus Wekesa Barasa (Kimilili), Daniel Wanyama Sitati (Webuye West), Fred Kapondi (Mt. Elgon), Mumias East MP and National Assembly Chief Whip Benjamin Washiali; and Moses Wekesa Mabonga who won the Bumula seat on an Independent ticket but has since joined Jubilee.
The Jubilee leaders thanked President Kenyatta for the development witnessed in Western Kenya region and assured him they will mobilize votes to guarantee him a landmark victory in the October 26 fresh election.