Raila: No second term for Jubilee

Opposition chief Raila Odinga has warned that the country would be completely ruined if Jubilee was allowed to rule for another five years.

Speaking in Nyamira on Friday during a youth conference dubbed ‘Kikao046’, Mr Odinga accused Jubilee of dozens of ills including police brutality, corruption, unemployment and economic distress.

Saying he was ready to dislodge President Uhuru Kenyatta next year, the ODM leader told thousands of youth that they could vote out Jubilee if they registered as voters.

“On election day, please go and vote out this government. We cannot afford to have it for another five years. Our country cannot go on like this any longer,” he said.

He laid the blame for runaway corruption on the Jubilee government and accused President Kenyatta of protecting former Devolution CS Ann Waiguru.

"When I first raised objections about the former CS, Uhuru and Ruto attacked me for purportedly being jealous of the Jubilee government’s success in bringing development to the people.

"Now, my concerns have been justified as the DP has also asked Waiguru to carry her own cross,” he said.

He also accused Jubilee of refusing to implement the recommendations of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission.

Despite several personal appeals to President Kenyatta, he said, the State seemed reluctant to adopt the recommendations.

Likening next year’s election to the recent ones in the US, Mr Odinga said he was confident of winning.

He said President-elect Donald Trump had boosted his campaign.

"Trump’s victory is a clear indicator that age does not matter. What matters is what you can do for the people.

"He defeated Clinton, who is my age mate, and will take over from Obama, who is Uhuru’s age mate," said the Cord co-principal.

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He insisted the voter register must be digitised to prevent fictitious voters from casting their ballot.

"In the last voter registration exercise, the Mount Kenya region recorded a 110 per cent turnout while other areas recorded much lower figures.

"We want the register digitised so that dead voters do not miraculously resurrect, vote and go back to their graves,” he said.

He demanded the arrest of police officers found to have violated citizens’ rights during the recent operation in Mumias to recover weapons stolen from a police post.

On nominations, Mr Odinga said Cord has not given any aspirant a direct nomination.

He told off politicians claiming they had been given a direct ticket, saying this was cheap propaganda.

“Not even I, Raila Odinga, has a direct nomination to any seat. We must all go through the primaries,” he said.

He cautioned leaders against violence and decried the use of youth to wreak havoc at rallies and at nominations.

He appealed to those who lose the nominations to support the winners at the polls to avoid splitting the opposition vote and handing Jubilee victory.

Mr Odinga was accompanied by Governor John Nyagarama, who said his county government had made strides in curbing youth unemployment.

“Out of 3,500 employees, more than three quarters are 35 and below,” he said.