DP William Ruto: Raila Odinga lost poll, Uhuru Kenyatta will beat him again

Deputy President William Ruto addresses a rally in Namwacha village, Bungoma County. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto has reiterated that President Uhuru Kenyatta defeated National Super Alliance (NASA) candidate Raila Odinga in the August 8 elections.

He maintained that Uhuru would beat Raila with an even wider margin in the repeat presidential election hence the NASA leader’s panic.

He said Raila lost in the August polls but was yet to come to terms with the reality and was now blaming electoral officials and every company or organisation that played any role in the August polls.

“There is no way Raila can defeat Uhuru. He did not contest the votes because he knew he was defeated,” said Ruto.

Speaking in Namwacha while receiving former Kanduyi MP Alfred Khang’ati, who ditched Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement party for Jubilee Party, the DP asked Raila and his team to focus on seeking votes instead of starting fights with everybody.

He warned NASA against planned demonstrations, saying they would be held responsible and accountable in case of violence.

He said the demonstrations would not guarantee NASA a win in the repeat poll and also accused the Opposition of being cry babies and looking for faults everywhere.

“They claimed certain forms were inaccurate. They changed their script to election officials and now they are claiming mobile phone service providers are to blame.”

Ruto was accompanied by Bungoma leaders, among them Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, legislators John Waluke (Sirisia) and Dan Wanyama (Webuye West), and former MPs Ababu Namwamba, Fred Gumo and Musikari Kombo.

Ruto said Jubilee planned to support Bungoma and Western region at large by reviving collapsed industries, including Kitinda Dairy Co-operative.

“We appreciate the votes we got from this county. We got over 125,000 votes and we are here again seeking your support to double the number. Raila lost the election and now he is fearing another loss.”

Mr Lusaka asked the community to support Uhuru during the October 26 repeat poll while Mr Khang’ati accused Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula of trying to split the Luhya community.