Raila Odinga, the leader of the ODM, said he was certain of defeating Deputy President William Ruto in the August elections, referring to him as a “lightweight political kid.”
Raila claimed that after assessing his major opponent, he saw him as a minor and inexperienced politician, and that he was certain of defeating him in the August 9 general election.
He was speaking during the funeral of Mzee Jared Osiany, the father of Industrialisation CAS David Osiany, at Kanga Primary School on Thursday.
“After holding him in my hands (Ruto), I realized he is a juvenile who I will trounce in the polls,” Raila said.
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“He (Ruto) has been constantly referring to me as a state project. If he is man enough then let him face off with me on August 9 and he will know that he was once my political student.”
ODM Deputy Party Leader and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyongo, Migori Senator Ochillo Ayacko, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, and a slew of other politicians accompanied him.
Kenyans should expect a big coalition that will influence the country’s course under Azimio la Umoja, said Junet.
“We are in talks with other parties and will soon be sealing a deal that will give birth to the larger Azimio Coalition. Already, Jubilee and ODM have sealed their deal. All we are waiting for is a formal engagement with other like-minded parties for a formal engagement,” Junet said.
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“I’m calling on our like-minded friends to seize the chance and get on board before the transfer window is sealed.”
The DP has on his part claimed that Raila will be a puppet president who will be controlled by a group of greedy individuals seeking to protect their own interests.
According to the DP, certain prominent individuals in government were busy plotting how to use Raila to seize power and reign from the shadows.
“While we are busy planning how the lowest Kenyan will be uplifted, some other operatives are busy in hotels planning how to install a puppet president who they will control as they want so that their selfish interests continue being served. We are not fools to accept such schemes,” Ruto told Kisii residents last month.
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The second-in-command who is currently in the United States has urged the international community to thwart election rigging plans.
The DP said numerous government entities were attempting to manipulate the people’s decision and make decisions on their behalf, he said while speaking at the Karson Institute for Race, Peace, and Social Justice at Loyola University in Maryland.
He expressed concerns that a small group of people were attempting to play games with the rights of others and to impose their decisions on others.
Despite Kenya’s solid Constitution, this is done through coercion, intimidation, and the use of the criminal justice system to persuade leaders and individuals to vote in a certain way, said the second-in-command.
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“As a leader, I have taken the position to speak against any attempts to try and straightjacket people into predetermined outcomes. We would have expected to do this without the baggage of blackmail and intimidation that is going on but unfortunately that is where we are,” said Dr Ruto.
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) leader expressed concerns about Kenya’s democracy, suggesting that it is in jeopardy.
“There is a huge pushback by citizens against any attempts to choreograph the next dispensation. We want to make our choices without being chaperoned, blackmailed or intimidated,” said the DP.
“We are looking forward to partnership of friends and people of goodwill. America has been a partner and a friend and has stood with us during the good and the bad times,” he said.
“With other members of the international community, we are looking forward to working together in that endeavour.”
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