Leave Safaricom and IEBC Alone, Deputy President William Ruto Tells Raila

Deputy President William Ruto has told opposition leader Raila Odinga to leave alone private companies and stop using Safaricom as a scapegoat to derail the repeat election.

Speaking during a rally in Isiolo town on Wednesday, Ruto said Jubilee was prepared for the election and further disclosed that they would amend the law to bar courts from annulling an election without a vote re-count.

“The stories about the cloud and forms are useless. There is no need to look for scapegoats. Leave IEBC and Safaricom alone. Do not interfere with private companies because we are your competitors,” Ruto said.

He added: “We have heard them arguing that the forms were filled and sent to the cloud and later in France. But what we believe in is the ballot cast by the voter. All the votes are in the ballot box. The boxes should have been opened for a re-count but we are ready for the repeat election,”

The deputy president vowed that never again will they allow the Supreme Court to annul an election without opening ballot boxes to examine how Kenyans voted.

“The forms, transmission or other reasons are not sufficient to annul an election. Manual and electronic transmission should be used so that there are no excuses in case one of them fails,” he said.

He further insisted that no IEBC official would be removed from office even if the opposition demonstrates against the electoral body.

“The court ruled that the election should be overseen by the IEBC. IEBC has set the date and we are ready. Nasa is free to demonstrate but no Kenyan will be removed from office against the law. Kenya is not an animal farm,” he said.

Ruto further told Raila that he had no powers to stop the election and that would not give in to the opposition’s plot to sabotage the election and force a coalition government.