President William Ruto has insisted that this is the right time for his United Democratic Alliance party to hold elections.
Speaking at the party's National Governing Council meeting on Friday, Ruto who was responding to leaders who requested for postponement of the elections set for December said that there is no better time to do it.
He said the party has its owners who will have a say on who will lead them and in what capacity.
"In this party, you all know we made last-minute arrangements and God helped us, we succeeded. All of us, including me as party leader, no one elected me. Even Riggy G (Rigathi Gachagua) and Cleophas Malala, the secretary general. Now the owners of the party will have a say. This party has its owners and they have to speak," the President said.
"I have heard people saying maybe this is not the time to hold elections and we should have waited, we cannot hold party election when we are near the general elections, that will confuse us."
Ruto insisted that it is better to have the elections now so that if things don't go well, they can start planning for the next steps.
He also warned that no one will be handed a position in the party, just because they are friends with him as the party leader or the deputy president.
Ruto said everyone must talk to the owners of the party (members).
"Heri sahii kama kinaumana kiumane tujue vile tunajipanga. Wacha wenye chama waseme na kila mtu hapa ajipange. Hakuna mtu atapatiwa kiti kwa sahani, kila mtu atajipanga. Na usiseme Ruto ni rafiki yangu ama Riggy G ni rafiki yangu. Tafuta urafiki na wanachama uko nyumbani hata mimi nitawafuata uko," he added.
This loosely translates to, "It's better now so that in case things don't go as planned we'll know how to plan ourselves. Let the owners of the party decide. No one will be handed a position because he or she is my friend or because Riggy G (Gachagua) is my friend. Be friends with party members. I will also look for them in the grassroots."
The ruling party held its first NGC at the Bomas of Kenya since they got elected into office in August last year.
