By Standard Team

Presidential aspirant Musalia Mudavadi has reiterated confidence that United Democratic Forum (UDF) will emerge victorious in the forthcoming elections.

He said UDF would not waste Independent Electoral and Boundaries commission’s (IEBC) time and taxpayers’ money by engaging them to organise another second round of elections.

“UDF will win. We have no plans of a run-off or extra time since we are sure of getting overwhelming support from across the country,” said Mudavadi.

Mudavadi, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM), told off the critics doubting his move. “I did not jump into the Mara River (race for Presidency) in the past, I have crossed it now and time is not on our side, we have embarked on a journey to traverse all parts of the country to seek for votes,” he said.

The DPM told those constantly on the defence that they should not be rigid in advancing their political ideologies but allow for divergent views.

backyard politics

“I plead with the leaders to allow me move forward. You cannot continue dragging me to my backyard politics everyday when I should be matching ahead to score,” he said.

Speaking in two separate functions both educations’ days in Sabatia and Mumias Districts over the weekend, the DPM urged residents of Western region to back his presidential bid and as he also seeks for votes from other regions.

“My decision to camp in others regions reaching out to them to support me should not be construe to mean I have taken the region (western) for granted,” he explained.

Mudavadi further dismissed Western legislators who are out to derail his race to state house. He termed their move as jealously driven and has instead challenged them to rethink their stands.

The DPM said his party (UDF) is accommodative and urged leaders from the region to instead join the train and work together to win the Presidency.

Mudavadi urged competitors to shun dirty politics and avoid trailing his campaign movements.

“This thing called parallel rallies should be avoided at all cost, we want to exercise mature politics and shun politics of acrimony,” he maintained.

And speaking when he took his presidential campaigns to Kisii, Mudavadi and warned against politicising cases of the four Kenyans at the International Criminal Court.

Mudavadi said due process of the law should be left to take its course without interference, adding that if the on-going politics are not stopped, they would polarise the country.

process

“This is a judicial process and should be allowed to proceed... I have always said that matters before courts of law should be left there,” he reiterated.

Mudavadi spoke in the wake of last week’s dismissal of appeals against the ICC cases facing presidential aspirants Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura and  radio journalist Joshua arap Sang.

The Sabatia MP Spoke at Gusii Stadium in Kisii County on Sunday after attending celebrations to mark 100 years of Seventh Day Adventism in the South Kenya region.

Mudavadi had to postpone a UDF rally scheduled at the same venue.

“We had planned a rally to promote the values of UDF but cancelled it in respect of the church centenary celebrations,” he said adding that a new date will be fixed for the political function.

Mudavadi was also accompanied by MPs Yusuf Chanzu and George Nyamweya during the occasion that was also attended by Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof Sam Ongeri.

service

The service was presided over by  head of the SDA Church in the world, Dr Ted Wilson and attended by hundreds of faithful from the region.

Earlier, Ongeri who invited political leaders to address the congregation warned his colleagues against introducing politics into the church function.

“This is a church function and politics should be kept aside,” Ongeri, a close ally of The National Alliance Party (TNA) presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta said in an apparent bid to restrain his colleagues from campaigning.

Mudavadi followed suit and only saluted the faithful before resuming his seat. He, however, answered questions fielded by journalists after the celebrations.

Nyamweya received Mudavadi and his entourage at Nyakoe shopping centre before leading him to the stadium for the function.

It was not immediately clear whether Nyamweya who is allied to PNU has joined Mudavadi’s UDF as he flanked him during media briefing and even hosted him for lunch at his Borabu home in Nyamira County after the function.

But Ongeri did not  join the DPM and left the scene immediately after the function.

— Story by Roselyne Obala, Francis Ontomwa and Robert Nyasato