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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Raila cleared to vie for presidency


By NATION Reporter  ( email the author)

Posted  Wednesday, January 30  2013 at  11:41
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Prime Minister Raila Odinga has been cleared to run for State House by the electoral commission as he prepares for a third stab at the presidency.
Mr Odinga said the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) would conduct peaceful and issue-based campaigns.
"We will conduct ourselves with dignity. We urge our supporters throughout the country to be peaceful," said Mr Odinga Wednesday.
He said Cord respected rivals and would not resort to name calling during campaigns.
"We have nothing but respect for our competitors. We will not utter words that are demeaning against our opponents. We want issue-based campaigns," he said.
After presenting his papers, Cord is expected to launch Mr Odinga's presidential campaign at Uhuru Park, Nairobi.
Mr Odinga was accompanied by his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka.
Earlier, Jubilee's Uhuru Kenyatta was cleared to run for State House by the electoral commission.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Isaack Hassan accepted Mr Kenyatta's nomination papers and declared the Deputy Prime Minister as validly nominated to contest the presidency.
Mr Kenyatta said Jubilee stood for peace and was looking forward to a free and fair General Election.
"We are committed to a peaceful electoral process," he said at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), Nairobi.
He said the coalition was ready to hit the ground running to canvass for votes countrywide.
On Wednesday, Jubilee will embark on a day-long tour of Zimmerman, Kahawa West, Githurai and Marurui areas of Nairobi.
Mr Kenyatta was accompanied by his running mate William Ruto, TNA and URP officials.
Mohammed Abduba Dida of the Alliance of Real Change was also cleared and becomes the sixth presidential candidate on the ballot.
He was accompanied by his running mate Joshua Onono.
Also expected to present nomination papers to the commission is Safina’s Paul Muite.
On Tuesday, four presidential candidates were cleared setting the stage for a month of gruelling campaigns ahead of the March 4 elections.
Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi (UDF), assistant minister Peter Kenneth (KNC), former Gichugu MP Martha Karua (Narc Kenya) and former permanent secretary James ole Kiyiapi (Restore and Build Kenya) got the IEBC's nod to fight to succeed President Kibaki.

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