Updated 11 hr(s) 18 min(s) ago
Six rebel ODM Members of Parliament said their alliance with Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta was intact contrary to recent reports that the political marriage was on the rocks.
MPs Charles Keter, Isaac Ruto, Joshua Kutuny, David Koech, Peris Simam and Elijah Lagat maintained that Ruto would go it alone for the presidency.
"Those claiming that we are warming up to Raila are day dreaming. Our people will not forgive us if we made such a move. That will be the last thing we will do," Kutuny said.
"It is very absurd for people to sit down and churn out such imaginary stories. We know they are emanating from an interested corner," he said.
The Cherengany MP said Ruto and Uhuru have not been holding joint public rallies because of the International Criminal Court orders.
Backing leadersRuto said claims that Rift Valley leaders were seeking to have the Eldoret North MP to be Raila’s running mate were far-fetched and should be dismissed.
"It is not in question that Ruto is running for the presidency and those claiming that he is seeking to be anyone’s running mate is mistaken," Ruto said. "People should realise that when we say we are working with Uhuru it does not mean that we have joined Kanu or that he has joined us in UDM. They are two different things," said the Chepalungu MP.
Mr Ruto distanced the group from leadership wrangles in the Orange party and the relationship between Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Raila.
Lagat said Rift Valley would be rallying behind Ruto as a presidential candidate in the next General Election just like other regions were backing one of their own for the post.
"People are looking at Rift Valley so much that they have forgotten Uhuru is being backed by Central region while Raila has backing from Nyanza," he said.
Lagat said, "When we say as a region that we are working with leaders from other regions, it does not mean that we are backing leaders from outside the province for the presidency".
Simam said, "It should go on record that we have a presidential candidate (Ruto) and we are not playing second fiddle to anyone."
Koech, who is the Rift Valley Parliamentary group secretary, when contacted for comment termed the claims as having been hatched by people testing political waters.
Last week during an interview on Kass FM, which broadcasts in the Kalenjin language, the suspended Higher Education minister declared he would go it alone in next year’s presidential race.
Ruto told listeners that his decision was motivated by central Kenya’s past voting patterns. He said the same was the case with Nyanza where he expected little support.
"They do not vote for anyone apart from their own," he said in the station’s morning show, Le nee Emet (What is the world saying).
Finance Minister, Uhuru Kenyatta, released estimates of the Sh1.155 trillion 2011/12 Budget on Thursday. [PHOTO FILE/ST
No comments:
Post a Comment