•He said Uhuru's endorsement of Raila should not be equated to Raila being state project
• Mbadi said Uhuru chose Raila because of his proven track record
Image: ODM TWITTER
The ODM party now claims Deputy President William Ruto is setting the stage to dispute the outcome of the August 9 polls.
In a statement read by national chairman John Mbadi on Thursday at Chungwa House, the party said the DP has sensed defeat from his long-time political nemesis Raila Odinga and has started crying wolf in advance by claiming the winner of the presidential election is predetermined.
“Ruto told us not long ago that his votes cannot be stolen. That even if Raila makes his brother Oburu Oginga the chair of the IEBC, he would still go ahead and win. Raila has not done that. Oburu Oginga is going for senator Siaya,” Mbadi said.
“Now the question I want to ask is what is Ruto telling us?” Mbadi posed.
The Suba South MP was reacting to Ruto’s claims that the Kenyan democracy is under threat from state functionaries which he didn’t name.
He claimed there is growing concern amongst Kenyans about deliberate intrusion of state agencies to manipulate decisions of the Kenyan people ahead of the general election.
“We would have expected that we would be able to do this [election] without all the baggage of blackmail and intimidation that is going on at the moment, but unfortunately that is where we are,” Ruto said.
The DP spoke on Wednesday in the US on the first day of his 12-day tour of the US and UK.
Mbadi was however quick to criticize the DP over his assertions that the August polls will be rigged.
“Why does he think that this time election will be stolen?" Mbadi asked.
The legislator said President Uhuru Kenyatta’s endorsement of the opposition chief as his preferred successor should not be equated to mean the election outcome is predetermined.
“It is his democratic right. Uhuru is a Kenyan, he is a voter. If he has chosen to support Raila Odinga that should not be equated to Raila Odinga being supported by the government,” Mbadi said.
Uhuru endorsed ODM boss Raila Odinga for the presidency and publicly declared that he is in Azimio with his "mind, blood and heart".
Mbadi said Uhuru’s choice of the opposition doyen emanates from his proven track record in national politics.
“Raila Odinga has a history that has been tested. It is a history that no one can dispute. You cannot distort history in this country,” Mbadi said.
The minority leader spoke while receiving politicians who had decamped from UDA to ODM.
They are Galole MP Said Buya Hiribae, Garsen MP Ali Wario Guy and a host of MCAs from Tana River County.
“The way the political tide has changed in the country has caused panic across to our competitors. You can obviously see that Raila Odinga is cruising to the presidency,” Mbadi said.