Deputy President William Ruto has told NASA leader Raila Odinga to restrain his supporters in Nyanza from attacking election officials.
Ruto also condemned Raila’s call for demonstrations on October 26 when the country will be holding repeat polls saying those are actions of a tyrant.
“Mr Raila Odinga must stop his supporters, followers and family members in meting out violence against election officials in Nyanza because Nyanza is Kenya,” Ruto said.
“If you are not ready to go to the election that is your right, but you should also respect our right to vote,” he added.
Raila has said he will on Thursday next week rally his supporters to demonstrate against the fresh election scheduled claiming the exercise will not be free and fair.
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He has pulled out of the repeat contest saying the IEBC has lost the moral authority to oversee a credible election.
The Opposition chief tabled 12 demands he dubbed irreducible minimums which he wants fulfilled before he agrees to participate in the polls.
They include the resignation of IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba, who has since taken a three week leave, and 10 other officials.
He blames the officials of bungling the August 8 presidential election which was nullified by the Supreme Court on September 1.
Election officials were recently attacked and flashed out of training venues in Migori, Siaya and Kisumu days after four people were shot dead in Bondo and Kisumu during anti-IEBC protests.
On Friday, Raila urged his supporters not to attack members of the Kikuyu community in Nyanza saying they are equally suffering under the Jubilee regime.
Ruto said Raila is advancing the politics of a dictator by calling for demonstrations against a democratic exercise which he himself agitated for through the court.
“Anybody organizing street riots where property is destroyed and lives lost over a democratic process, organizing violence against election officials, that is the language and tools of trade of terrorists, dictators, despots and tyrants and that has no room in independent Kenya,” Ruto said.
The DP spoke on Saturday during a Jubilee rally in Kitengela, Kajiado County. He had accompanied President Kenyatta on a campaign trail.
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On Wednesday last week, commissioner Roselyn Akombe resigned abruptly and said the .
She said the agency has been riddled with political interference while some commissioners were advancing partisan agendas.
Chairman Wafula Chebukati, who she said was under siege, in a statement later on Wednesday, agreed with Akombe's sentiments.
He said he couldn't guarantee that Thursday's repeat election will be credible.
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