Uhuru, Ruto coalition aims first round win
URP presidential aspirant William Ruto greets his supporters in Isiolo Town on the way to Isiolo Stadium for a rally on November 12, 2012. Photo/JOSEPH KANYI
What you need to know:
- Uhuru, Ruto say they want to unite the country after elections
- Mr Ruto says URP had agreed to work with TNA adding that there were other parties that would join them
Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto on Thursday shared the podium and reiterated that they are seeking to be on a joint ticket.
This is the first time that the two are appearing in public together since reports that they have agreed to approach the elections together.
While standing with Mr Ruto on the podium in Narok, Mr Kenyatta asked the crowd, “do you want us to work together?” to which their supporters answered to the affirmative.
He added that the aim of the two leaders is to bring the whole country together, and not two communities as “our detractors want to say.”
He said that his party, The National Alliance (TNA) and Mr Ruto’s United Republican Party (URP) will work with leaders from other parties.
Mr Ruto also said that URP had agreed to work with TNA adding that there were other parties that would join them.
He also drummed up support for their union just like Mr Kenyatta asking the crowd whether there was anything wrong with the two of them working together.
“If Uhuru becomes president and I his deputy, is there anything wrong? And if I become president and Uhuru my deputy, is there anything wrong?” Mr Ruto posed. Read (Ruto, Uhuru allies clash on Cabinet jobs)
He added that when TNA and URP join up and are to be joined by other parties, this will be the only way that their government will be able to tackle the challenges that face Kenya.
“If TNA and URP work together, they will form the government in the first round. The objective is to bring Kenyans together so that never again will Kenyans fight over political competition,” Mr Ruto said.
Speaking at the same function at Nairegi Nkare which was Mr Kenyatta’s first stop on his tour of Narok County, Dujis MP Aden Duale said that URP is ready to unite with TNA because “TNA believes and URP believe in ‘kusema and kutenda’.”
He added that a coalition of TNA and URP should have the slogan’ “We believe in kusema na kutenda.”
Internal Security Minister Katoo ole Metito went on to say that the slogan should be ‘tunaweza kusema na kutenda’.
He told their competitors that no amount of branding those in the TNA-URP coalition as tribalists will “tear us apart”, adding that the alliance plans to win the next elections in the first round.
Mr Kenyatta started his two-day tour of Narok County at Nairegi Nkare.
He was joined by Mr Ruto and MPs Aden Duale, Raphael Letimalo, Gideon Konchellah and Mohammed Mahmud of URP. The URP team was headed for a rally at Suswa in the same county.
After his address, Mr Kenyatta continued with his tour, stopping at Ntulele, Eorekule and finally Narok town where he opened a TNA office and addressed a rally at the local stadium.
The DPM was with Cabinet Minister Katoo ole Metito, Assistant Minister Jebii Kilimo, MPs Maison Leshomo, Rachel Shebesh and William Kabogo, former minister Julius Sunkuli and Narok East parliamentary aspirant Harun ole Lempaka, and local leaders.
