Ruto preparing the ground for rejection of 2022 outcome — ODM

ODM is accusing Deputy President William Ruto of setting the stage for a disputed outcome of the 2022 presidential election.

The party on Tuesday said DP Ruto has resorted to discrediting the electoral process after realising the ground had shifted since its leader Raila Odinga hit the campaign trail.

ODM chairman John Mbadi, director of elections Junet Mohamed and secretary general Edwin Sifuna claimed DP’s recent brand of politics points to someone out to find an excuse to dispute poll results.

They cited his recent attack at Cabinet secretaries accused of engaging in politics, claiming it is part of the wider scheme to reject the results. 

Last week, UDA, a party associated with Ruto, wrote to the electoral commission protesting against state officers engaged in political activities that may compromise the neutrality of the offices they hold.

UDA secretary general Veronica Maina singled out Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and his ICT counterpart Joe Mucheru, who are both in the 2022 poll planning team tasked with ensuring a free, fair, transparent and credible general election. 

UDA cited the chances of impartiality of the two ministers, saying they have been openly campaigning for Raila.

Junet hit out at Ruto, claiming he has realised the ground has drastically changed and has resorted to clutching straws as the race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta hots up.

The Minority whip said the Tangatanga team should be last to lecture others on polls management, saying they were all over castigating ODM when it demanded reforms at the IEBC during Jubilee’s first term.

“We told our opponents that election campaigns are not sprints, this is a marathon. Some are mere pacesetters. Now they have started crying. When you see a politician making complaints, they have realised to be losing the ground,” Junet said.

“When we told them there was a need for reforms at the IEBC, they told us even if we have Oburu [Oginga, Raila’s elder brother] as the commission's chair, they would still win. They are now complaining that so and so is supporting Raila.”

Sifuna challenged the DP to assure the country he will accept the outcome of the 2022 contest. He said Ruto has been looking for anything to hold on, as an excuse for a poor 2022 run.

“They have started preparing the ground to reject the elections. They have realised that he (Ruto) is going to lose and are busy preparing to set the ground,” Sifuna said.

“We want Ruto to come out in public and assure the country that he will accept the outcome of the polls.”

They spoke at Chungwa House during Raila's meeting with grassroots leaders from Lower Eastern.

The ODM leader will Friday take his Azimio La Umoja campaigns to Lower Eastern, where delegates from Kitui, Machakos and Makueni counties are expected to endorse his presidential bid.

Minority leader John Mbadi dismissed claims that Raila is Uhuru's 2022 project, saying the ODM leader has been consistent since he ventured into politics at 18 years of age.

“Since Raila started politics, he has never been a project. He can't be a project of an individual but of the people of Kenya,” he said.

“Every campaign, he has had policies. There is no single election campaign that he has had without a solid policy plan for the country.”

Mbadi also took a swipe at the DP over unfulfilled promises, saying Kenyans are wiser and will not be fooled again in 2022.

“Our opponent has promised four million jobs but could not provide the one million he promised the people in 2013 and 2017,” Mbadi said.

Sifuna said Kenyans should reject the wheelbarrow politics being advanced by the DP and instead demand decent jobs that uphold human dignity.

“When your children are handed ambassadorial jobs but others you want to give wheelbarrow. They promised youths one million jobs but now they are telling us about wheelbarrows. We believe in human dignity. Even the work you do must have dignity,” Sifuna said.