Uhuru Kenyatta: Raila Odinga will finish the work I started

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses Ruiru residents yesterday. [PSCU]

President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday resumed his public campaigns for Azimio la Umoja flag bearer, Raila Odinga, ending a two-month political silence.

While officially opening a hospital in Embakasi, the Head of state drummed up support for the opposition leader, simultaneously hitting out at his deputy William Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza camp over their continued attacks on him.

Flanked by area leaders, President Uhuru assured residents that their votes would count if they cast them in favour of Raila, who would in turn ensure that the projects initiated by the Uhuru administration will be completed.

“I am respectfully asking you to allow me (through your vote) that whoever it is that I am going to hand over to, be other than Raila Amollo Odinga because. He will ensure that our work will continue,” said Uhuru.

His sentiments and actions were a deviation from a declaration by leaders within the Azimio fold that had vowed that Uhuru would not be campaigning for the Raila-Karua ticket and would wait for the August 9 election outcome to gracefully handover power.

The ruling Jubilee party vice chairperson David Murathe had in May said that President Uhuru Kenyatta will not campaign for Raila and that he would assume his role as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief until the election is held on August 9.

“You don't expect him (Uhuru) to hit the ground running that is why now you find it is Martha and Raila. They are both on the ticket,” said Murathe.

"…Uhuru is not on the ticket. He will be going home in the next 80 days and he has to oversee a peaceful transition and peaceful election. He has stepped into his shoe of being the President and Commander-in-Chief," Murathe had said.

True to this, Uhuru had given Azimio campaigns –especially in the city and the Mt Kenya region- a wide berth.

Other leaders including Kieni MP and Jubilee Director of Elections Kanini Kega had, however, foretold that Uhuru would commence campaigning for Raila in June and July. He had said that Uhuru would be commissioning projects across the country and will also “woo voters to back Raila and his running mate Martha Karua.”

Azimio la Umoja flag bearer, Raila Odinga. [File, Standard]

At the same time, President Uhuru Kenyatta has chided his deputy and the Kenya Kwanza camp over continued attacks on him rather than focusing on their vote hunt agenda.

In a thinly veiled attack on Ruto and his allies, Uhuru castigated the Kenya Kwanza camp for turning their campaigns into forums to discuss him.

“The only team that is true is that of Raila and Martha…. the rest are busy going round to meetings where they are always talking about Uhuru,” said the President.

“Why are you talking about Uhuru yet he is not seeking votes? They keep telling me to finish my term and go home, I don’t know where they think I’ll go but I will still be here,” he added.

Uhuru subsequently promised to carry out his duties to the end of his tenure.

“I will continue doing my duties until the last minute. There are still hospitals to be opened, roads to be built and other government duties to be done which I will do until I hand over power,” he observed, further lauding the peace and unity between leaders as a result of the handshake noting that it contributed to the development.

 Notably, Dp Ruto has in the recent past sustained an onslaught against his boss Uhuru with the underlying message being that he (Uhuru) had betrayed him and that he should back off the campaigns to allow Ruto to battle it out with Raila.