Tuju hits out at tribal kingpins

• Former minister blames populist tactics for stirring hatred among Kenyans

Presidential aspirant Raphael Tuju on Sunday hit out at politicians who hope to ride on their ethnic blocs to win votes, saying Kenyans would reject them.

Speaking at a church service in Nairobi, the Party of Action leader castigated populist tactics were responsible for ethnic hatred among Kenyans.

“The leaders who look popular are just ethnic kingpins who have succeeded in dividing this nation along ethnic lines and that is why we must shun them,” said the former cabinet minister.

Ethnic mobilisation

“Our leaders have perfected the art of ethnic mobilisation where they incite groups against others and that is why they are popular. They lack any leadership attributes for behind their popularity lies a sinister and evil motive for which this country has been run down for years,” he said.

He noted that ethnic balkanisation had become the easiest tactic for Kenyan politicians seeking to raise their popularity.

He warned that the country could be headed for doom if Kenyans allowed themselves to be divided along ethnic lines and urged voters to change their perception of leadership.

Mr Tuju asked Kenyans not to pray for him to clinch the presidency but do it for the country to get a good leader.

“I know I am a presidential contender but I want to ask you not to pray for me to become your president and instead do it for the nation to get good leadership. If I happen to be that leader, that will be good,” he said.

Mr Tuju at the same time criticised efforts to form pre-election agreements, saying his vision was to “see a better Kenya and not individual gains”.

His POA party has, however, come into an alliance known as ‘Hoja Alliance’ with nine political parties to work together in the coming General Election.

On the on-going debate about the biometric voter registration tender, the former Foreign Affairs minister said the government was to blame for the stalemate.

“Laws on procurement procedures are not clear and that is why most of these processes get flawed,” he said.