Ruto condemns violence against Uhuru, Raila

National Super Alliance (Nasa) co-principal and Bomet Governor has condemned attempts to disrupt rallies addressed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition Presidential candidate Raila Odinga in Kisumu and Kabarnet respectively.

The separate rallies held by the two top politicians on Wednesday were briefly interrupted by supporters of their opponents who engaged in heckling and name calling hours apart.

“It is wrong for supporters of either side to attempt to disrupt political rallies in their home turfs. Such unbecoming behaviour should be discouraged and condemned by all leaders and Kenyans of all walks of life” Mr Ruto said.

“Those who tried to heckle Nasa leaders in Kabarnet town while claiming the area was a Jubilee zone should know that their leaders will visit Nasa and Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) strongholds to campaign and we can choose to kick them out. But that is not how we want to run our campaigns,” Mr Ruto added.

ACCORD RESPECT

Mr Ruto noted that it was important for leaders and their supporters to preach peace and tolerance.

“I am inviting Presidential candidates Cyrus Jirongo, Abduba Dida, Ekuru Aukot and Joseph Nyaga to campaign in Rift Valley region and they should be accorded the respect they deserve.

“Those who do not subscribe to their school of thought should keep off the rallies instead of attending with a view to disrupting them,” Mr Ruto said.

“For the three times the President and his Deputy have been to the South Rift and especially in Bomet to campaign, they have been accorded the respect they deserve and I have gone out of my way to impress upon CCM and Nasa supporters to keep off the rallies for the sake of peace,” Mr Ruto said.

NOT JUBILEE ZONE

He said that majority of the region’s residence would support Mr Odinga in the August 8 elections as opposed to claims that the region was a Jubilee locked zone.

Mr Ruto was speaking during a campaign rallies at Lel Barak and Cheboiyo in Chepalungu constituency in the company of local CCM parliamentary candidate Gideon Koskei, the party’s Senatorial candidate Stephen Kosgei and Woman Representative candidate Beatrice Chebomui.