Kibaki tells aspirants to avoid hate speech

As presidential aspirants campaign across the country, President Kibaki on Wednesday urged them to focus their search for votes on issues instead of name-calling that could easily incite Kenyans.

At the same time, political parties have started setting nominations terms for aspirants in the next elections.

On Thursday, deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi embarks on a five-day campaign in Nyanza, seeking to take a share of votes from the region which has over the years been the backyard of Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Popularise candidature

Deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta will spend the weekend, beginning Friday, in Turkana County to popularise his candidature and The National Alliance (TNA) party.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto and his United Republican Party (URP) brigade will be in Kilgoris on Thursday and in Narok on Friday.

The ODM Reloaded road caravan will on Friday traverse Kajiado County from Namanga to Bisil onto Kajiado, Isinya and finally Kitengela.

Mr Odinga is in China with a government delegation.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka will be campaigning in Nairobi County. He will address rallies in Embakasi and Makadara constituencies.

Assistant minister Peter Kenneth, who opened the Kenya National Congress (KNC) offices in Isiolo, will take his presidential campaign to Ngong in Kajiado County on Saturday

Sensing the heat from the heightened campaigns, President Kibaki urged aspirants to focus on issues affecting Kenyans instead of name-calling.

“Our democracy has now come of age. Sell your ideas peacefully without resorting to name-calling,” he said at the Nairobi Stock Exchange in Nairobi.

Saying much work lay ahead, President Kibaki reminded Kenyans that elections were not due until March next year.

On Thursday, Mr Mudavadi, who attended the URP national governing council meeting in Nairobi will address a leaders’ meeting at Kehancha in Migori County and later preside over the opening of United Democratic Forum party offices at Kegonga, Ntimaru and Isebania before addressing a rally at Mabera.

Rivalry between Mr Mudavadi and Mr Odinga is playing out at Local Authorities in Kakamega County where councillors have started taking sides on party lines. 

The situation is worse at Butere/Mumias County Council where several councillors have defected to UDF.

The defectors have more than once attempted to oust council chairman Mondekai Nandwa, who is a staunch ally of Mr Odinga and ODM.

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