ODM leader Raila Odinga yesterday dared Deputy President William Ruto to a titanic battle ahead of the August 9 General Election as his camp prepares to register Azimio la Umoja Movement as a coalition party.
This follows the signing of the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill into law by President Kenyatta yesterday. It amends the Political Parties Act of 2011 by introducing the concept of coalition political parties, outlining their functions, and changes the criteria for accessing the Political Parties Fund.
Speaking at Chungwa House where he received more than 15 MCAs from ANC and Ford Kenya from Kakamega and Busia counties, Mr Odinga promised to fight for economic liberation.
He accused DP Ruto, Mr Musalia Mudavadi and Mr Moses Wetang’ula of coming together to continue plundering the country’s resources.
“Kenyans cannot be cheated by conmen and thieves. They steal and after stealing, they use the money to buy voters. Money cannot buy Kenya. Kenya is not on sale. We did it in the shackles of dictatorship,” Mr Odinga said.
“The spirit that drove away colonial power and the second liberation is going to take Kenya through the third liberation. It will empower our people and our women will be able to walk with pride,” he added.
Mr Odinga was accompanied by ODM deputy party leaders Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, secretary-general Edwin Sifuna and MPs Junet Mohamed, Simba Arati, Godfrey Osotsi and Caleb Amisi.
In Kiambu, the DP took a swipe at Mr Odinga, saying, political races are not won in boardrooms and hotels. Mr Odinga has been holding meetings with the Mount Kenya Foundation.
“Political seats... are won by meeting the voters and selling ideologies, policies and manifestos,” he said.
Accompanied by Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula, he exuded confidence that he would win the presidency. Jubilee, he noted, claimed victory in the 2017 elections with little support in Western Kenya.
With the backing of ANC and Ford-K, UDA would be in a much better position, the DP said.
“Today, the two leaders have decided to join the ‘Hustler Nation’, which erases any doubt that we will be in State House early enough in August,” DP Ruto said.
