President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto have maintained repeat polls will still continue as planned even after Raila Odinga withdrew from the race.
The President who spoke in Voi minutes after Raila withdrew from the race said it is alright but Raila cannot stop polls from happening since the court ruled so.
“We are ready for an election whether he will be on the ballot or not. Yesterday, he said it is his democratic right not to participate, we tell him also, it is the people’s right to participate in an election; to chose their leaders,” said Uhuru as told by Capital FM.
“So whether you are there or not, we are proceeding to the people who have the sovereign right to elect the leaders of their choice,” added the President.
Uhuru also said there is no place in the Constitution “where it says Raila Amollo Odinga must be on the ballot.”
The DP on his part the ball is on IEBC’s court to decide if repeat polls will go on or if Uhuru will be declared President-elect.
“We are ready if the IEBC will say, now that there is no other candidate, the one who has remained, Uhuru Kenyatta, be declared the President of the Republic of Kenya. We are ready,” opined Ruto.
Immediately after Raila declard his withdrawal from the race, IEBC in a tweet said they have convened a meeting with their legal team to deliberate on the matter.
“Following the withdrawal of the NASA presidential candidate, the Commission and the legal team are meeting and will communicate way forward,” read the tweet from @IEBCKenya.
Raila said his withdrawal is constitutionally right and it will guarantee Kenyans a fair chance for free and credible polls.
He added that from all indications show IEBC will not institute reforms.
“All indications are that the election scheduled for October 26 will be worse than the previous one,” he said as the Star quotes adding “The only election Jubilee is interested in is one that it must win, even unlawfully.”
Further, Raila said that ““It is clear that this provision gives adequate time to undertake the reforms necessary to conduct an election that is in strict conformity with the Constitution, the relevant laws and the Constitution,” the NASA leaders said.
“This being the case, it is our conviction that our withdrawal is in the best interest of the country and a win-win for everyone.