Deputy President William Ruto will win the presidency in round one on August 9, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi has claimed.
The ANC leader said Ruto will defeat Azimio presidential hopeful Raila Odinga by over 50 per cent of the votes cast.
The 2010 Constitution requires a presidential candidate to attain 50 per cent plus one vote of the total votes cast to avoid a runoff.
Mudavadi said this year’s presidential contest will not go to a runoff saying Kenya Kwanza has numbers to deliver a decisive win in the first round.
“It will be a round one on August 9, Raila to go home while Uhuru retires to Gatundu,” Mudavadi said.
He spoke on Saturday during Kenya Kwanza rally at Kamukunji in Nairobi.
Recent opinion polls indicate that neither Raila nor Ruto – regarded as front runners in this year’s elections – can garner enough votes to cross the 50 plus one victory mark.
According to last week’s opinion poll by Radio Africa Group, Ruto was leading the race with 42.3 per cent against Raila’s 42.4 per cent of national support.
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said President Uhuru Kenyatta told Kenyans that part of their handshake deal was for him and Raila to go home after the August 9 polls.
Speaking during the Kamukunji rally, Muturi urged Kenyans to vote for Ruto and send the two home.
“One we will go home as the constitution bars him from another term while the other we will send home on August 9,” Muturi said.
Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula called for huge turn up to ensure Ruto’s presidency becomes a reality.
“It is not over until it is over. I urge you to wake up very early in the morning on August 9 to vote William Ruto as the President,” Wetangula said.
