A section of political leaders vying for various elective positions in Uasin Gishu County on a UDA ticket are now asking Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga to take charge of his political allies and ensure they do not cause violence.
This follows a Sunday, June 19, 2022, incident, where a convoy of Deputy President William Ruto, Amani National Congress (ANC) Musalia Mudavadi, and that of his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetangula was stoned in Jacaranda, Embakasi East Constituency.
In a media briefing in Eldoret, the UDA candidates led by Jonathan Bii Chelilim, alias Koti Moja, who is vying for the gubernatorial seat also asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to take legal action against Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, whom they accused of being behind the incident.
“All candidates were given a code of conduct they signed and we now want to see IEBC taking action,” said Prof. Phylis Bartoo, the Moiben MP candidate.
The UDA candidates further said the Azimio team needs to take an example from Uasin Gishu that recently hosted Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua, who is the coalition’s running mate.
“We ask Raila to tame his people and learn from us. His running mate was in Eldoret and locals gave them time to say what they wanted to say,” said Ainabkoi MP candidate Samuel Chepkong’a.
Similar sentiments were shared by the Soy MP candidate David Kiplagat who is also the current Uasin Gishu County Assembly Speaker and Turbo MP Janet Sitienei.
The candidates affirmed the need for all eyeing various seats in the August 9 poll to commit to preaching peace and unity.
“We have for long worked to unite our people and we don’t want to see what we witnessed in the past. Raila, lead the way and preach peace,” added Koti Moja, the Uasin Gishu gubernatorial candidate.
The Jacaranda incident has elicited mixed reactions, with DP Ruto and the ODM leader clashing on Twitter over who should take responsibility.
DP Ruto, a Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate, claimed the incident was planned by his Azimio competitor.
“Mr Kitendawili, so much for being clueless, rudderless, and planless about the challenges of our nation and the solutions thereof. The big question Kenyans are asking you, which you have refused to answer, is when are you going to stop using violence as your tool for seeking power???,” the DP tweeted on Monday, June 20, 2022.
But in his response, Odinga said, “It’s not okay to be rudderless, clueless and plan-less. This country is slowly overcoming fraudsters and shortcuts that define your politics. Maliza uende. There is no room for sympathy votes.”
