Ruto terms NASA’s parallel tallying center calls as unconstitutional

By DPPS

Deputy President William Ruto has said Opposition leaders have sensed defeat and were looking for shortcuts to declare themselves winners during the August General Election.

Ruto said by planning to establish a parallel tallying centre during the election period was a clear indication that Opposition leaders were in a desperate situation after sensing defeat.

Addressing a rally in Eldama Ravine grounds in Baringo County on Saturday, the Deputy President told Opposition leaders to seek votes from Kenyans and stop cheating themselves saying tallying of votes during elections is the constitutional duty of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

“It is now obvious that our friends in the opposition have no formula of winning an election because they have no agenda, candidate and they want to have shortcut to win the August election by planning to establish a parallel tallying centre to announce results for themselves as winners,” said Ruto.

“It is only IEBC which is constitutionally mandated to have a tallying centre during elections,” added Ruto.

The Deputy President told the Opposition not to waste their time on matters outside the Constitution saying IEBC staff should be left to carry out their duties as mandated by the Constitution.

“I want to give the Opposition leaders free advice from Eldama Ravine today that to win voters they should have a candidate, agenda for Kenyans and look for votes from the people,” said Mr Ruto.

Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa told off plans by the Opposition to establish a parallel tallying centre come August elections as a move recipe for chaos.

He said it is only IEBC, which was mandated by law to carry out elections, establish a tallying Centre and announce results.

“It is only one institution that is mandated by law to carry out elections, create a tallying centre and announce results. But for the Opposition leaders to tell us they will come up with parallel tallying centre to give different results is dangerous and will trigger post election violence,” said Wamalwa.

He said the law has allowed IEBC to be the referee on matters of elections and it is its chairman Wanyonyi Chebukati who has final say on results of any election.

Other leaders present were Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi, MPs Hellen Sambili (Mogotio), Moses Lesonnet (Eldama Ravine), Jackson Kiptanui (Keiyo South), Grace Kiptui (Women Rep) and former MP Musa Sirma.

The Deputy President exuded confidence that Jubilee will beat the Opposition hands down come August General Election because of its development track record.

Ruto said Jubilee has fulfilled most of the pledges it made during the 2013 elections and that’s why Kenyans will give it another chance come August elections.

The Deputy President said Kenyans would elect leaders based on their development track record and not on their ethnic backgrounds.

He said days were long gone when some leaders banked on their respective communities to get elected.

The Deputy President said Kenyans would have an opportunity to choose between leaders who are focused on development and those bent on rhetoric’s.

The Deputy President told Kenyans not to gamble with their votes by supporting leaders who have nothing to show in terms of development.

“Those leaders who think that they will bank on support from their respective communities to get elected in August General Election and yet they have nothing to show in terms of development will be in for a rude shock as Kenyans will elect leaders based on their performance,” said Ruto.

The Deputy President said Opposition leaders served in previous governments for more than 30 years and yet they have nothing to show in terms of development.

He said 80 percent of the funds the Jubilee Administration was paying back as loans from development partners were borrowed by the previous governments that those in Opposition were part of.

“We are now paying back loans that were borrowed by the previous governments that those in Opposition were part of. These funds were not used for any development project but were used to pay fictitious and fake projects in the name of Anglo Leasing and Goldenberg,” said Ruto.

Ruto said who earlier addressed wananchi at Mwachon primary school after commissioning the Rift Valley Innovative Centre, said the Government has initiated water projects in Baringo County up to a tune of Shs 40billion to address acute water shortage facing residents in the region.

He singled out the Chemasus, Kirundich, Amaya and Radat water projects as those, which will provide water for irrigation and for domestic purposes upon their completion.

Ruto said tarmac work on 300-kilometre of roads in the county was ongoing adding that Jubilee has connected 43,000 households up from 12,000 houses in 2013.

He said the commissioned innovation centre would serve youths from Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and Uasin-Gishu Counties on matters of technology.

He said Jubilee was committed to solving the problem of water in Baringo County among other areas in the country.

The MPs said residents in the region were firmly in support of Jubilee.

Kiptanui and Mr Lessonet said voters in the area were grateful that Jubilee has initiated many development projects that have improved the lives of the people.

“Our people know that it is only Jubilee that has the capacity and willingness to unite Kenyans and accelerate development across the country,” said Ruto.

Governor Cheboi said residents of Baringo would vote for Jubilee leaders from Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs) to the top seat in the land.

“I want to assure that people of Baringo are fully in support of Jubilee because it has done a lot in terms of development barely four years in power,” said Cheboi.

Prof Sambili thanked the Government for restoring peace in areas recently hit by banditry and cattle rustling incidents.