The Jubilee leadership has ruled out political negotiations with the National Super Alliance (Nasa) before the repeat presidential election.
But Deputy President William Ruto said Jubilee would be open to engage the Opposition after Kenyans have voted on October 26 and made a decision on who their next President should be.
POLL LOSER
“We are ready to engage with our competitors – post elections,” he said during a meeting with foreign correspondents in his official residence in Karen, Nairobi, on Tuesday morning.
Mr Ruto described the calls for a political negotiation as unfair to Kenyans, arguing that the Constitution allows for political competition through an election and doing otherwise would render the requirement “useless.”
“We intend to keep to the dictates of the Constitution because it is the right thing to do. It is clear. It is what every democracy stands for,” the Deputy President said during the engagement with the Foreign Correspondents of East Africa (FCEA). He dismissed political settlement ahead of the high stakes repeat election as undemocratic and unrealistic.
“What does a political settlement mean? That there will not be political settlement in Kenya? Then it would mean we will be in a circus forever where a loser will foment a crisis then force us to sit on the table for negotiations.
“What stops another leader creating a crisis in other elections so that they can share power? What happens to the Constitution, which provides that leaders are elected by the people?”
COALITION
Mr Ruto accused Nasa leader Raila Odinga of instigating a crisis then planning to appeal for foreign governments’ intervention to support a coalition government.
The opposition leader was using excuses to run away from a humiliating defeat, “to avoid an embarrassment” by majority of voters, including those from areas perceived to be his strongholds who have lost faith in the Opposition, the DP added.
According to the Deputy President, Mr Odinga’s move was also a strategy to allow him run again in 2022 and throw off balance Nasa co-principals.
“Mr Odinga is running away because he can’t change the numbers and he knows that he can’t win the October 26 election,” said Mr Ruto.
But Jubilee supports the election and it will go on as planned, he added.
POLITICAL CRISIS
The DP also dismissed the perception that there was crisis in the country, accusing the Opposition of having “manufactured” the situation.
“The Opposition leaders have manufactured and created a crisis because they can’t ask legitimate Kenyans for their votes and they are now creating chaotic situations to pave way for political solutions at the expense of democracy,” said Mr Ruto, accusing Nasa of trying to make the country ungovernable for selfish reasons.
He singled out the criticism against Mr Ekuru Aukot’s involvement in the repeat election following a court ruling, whose inclusion they had supported. The Deputy President also questioned why the Nasa leadership was issuing demands and conditions to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) yet its candidates have withdrawn from the repeat election.
“It seems Nasa has not decided whether they are in the presidential race or not. If they have withdrawn, why are they giving conditions on how the elections should be held?” Mr Ruto asked.
Jubilee Party, he said, had no problem with the IEBC implementing conditions set by Nasa as its interest was to have a credible election on October 26.
BALLOT
“We have no problem with IEBC agreeing with our competitors on the minimum conditions or irreducible minimums. They can agree on a new supplier of ballot papers, issues of technology, sacking of [CEO Ezra] Chiloba so long as it is within the Constitution and Supreme Court ruling that elections be held in 60 days,” said Mr Ruto.
On the elections amendments laws passed by Parliament last week and which President Uhuru Kenyatta is yet to assent to, Mr Ruto maintained that the amendments were meant to seal the gaps pointed out by the Supreme Court when it annulled Mr Kenyatta’s August 8 election win.
“There is no crisis of any nature. We are confident that these laws do not infringe on our Constitution and that the legislation that the Supreme Court identified as loopholes are sealed,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr Ruto has assured Kenyans that no one would be victimised for engaging in peaceful demonstrations but those engaging in lawlessness would be dealt with.
He gave an assurance that the police oversight authority was investigating claims of possible use of excessive force during the Nasa demonstrations.
