By OUMA WANZALA owanzala@ke.nationmedia.com and MAZERA NDURYA mndurya@ke.natiomedia.com
Posted Friday, January 27 2012 at 22:30
Posted Friday, January 27 2012 at 22:30
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday vowed to stick together in order to take over the leadership of the country.
Speaking during a peace rally at 64 Stadium in Eldoret Town, the three leaders said that they will sacrifice their presidential ambitions in order to ensure that the best candidate gets to State House.
“I am ready to support any of the two candidates that will emerge the winner as this country is bigger than an individual,” said Mr Musyoka.
The three also castigated civil societies which have moved to court to bar the two from contesting for presidency saying that such efforts will fail. (READ: Group in court over Uhuru, Ruto seat bid)
“I do not see the need of going for the presidency if Mr Uhuru and Mr Ruto are not in the race and it is Kenyans to decide not the courts,” the VP said.
Mr Kalonzo warned Kenyans against giving leadership to dictators saying that the country will collapse.
He defended his shuttle diplomacy saying that the government will do everything possible to ensure that the cases are brought back to Kenya.
“We will be making deferral application and the Head of State is in Addis Ababa where he will meet with other leaders,” he added.
He said that he agreed to form a coalition government with President Kibaki after learning that the country was on the verge of collapse after the disputed presidential election.
Mr Kenyatta on his part asked the civil society to leave him alone and field a presidential candidate so that they can seek the leadership of the country in a legitimate way.
The DPM thanked President Kibaki for having given him an opportunity to serve as a minister and added that by resigning he will have enough time to criss-cross the country and seek the support of Kenyans.
He also took issue with the media saying that they had played a role in his resignation but added that he respects the rule of law. (READ:Exit Uhuru, Muthaura)
Mr Ruto said that they will emerge victorious at ICC insisting that he did nothing wrong to warrant the charges.
Only Kenyans can decide
He said that it is only Kenyans who can decide and their opponents should brace for a tough battle.
“To our worthy competitors if they believe in democracy, they should allow Kenyans to decide and not use conspiracy to lock us out,” he said.
Mr Ruto asked Kenyans never to shed blood because of an election. They were accompanied by several ministers and more than 45 Members of Parliament.
At the same time Mr Kalonzo said he was not an opportunist trying to capitalise on the confirmation of the ICC charges against Mr Uhuru and Mr Ruto.
He said he had been incensed by the perception by most Kenyans that the plight of the two who have declared interest in running for the country’s presidency would be his launch pad to State House in the forthcoming elections.
“When I set out of what came to be known as shuttle diplomacy, my desire was to see the sovereignty of the country is respected and I still believe that the country has the capacity to try the post-election violence suspects locally” the Vice-President said.
Belgut Member of Parliament Charles Keter and Molo’s Joseph Kiuna said that they will refuse to go to the polls if the two leaders are locked out of the presidential race.
“We must have the two in the next General Election and nothing else. No Ruto and Uhuru, No election,” said Mr Keter.
Mr Kiuna said that foreign nations should not decide for Kenyans who should lead them.
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