Uhuru woos coastal residents with development projects

President Uhuru Kenyatta with his Deputy William Ruto at Serani Primary School Grounds in Mombasa where he gave out title deeds to the School on October 8, 2017. Mr Kenyatta urged area resident to vote for him in the repeat poll. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The President reiterated that the Mzima II water projects would be developed to end water problems in Mombasa.

  • He added that free secondary education in public schools will start next year.

  • Kenya Ports Authority will be further expanded, he said and trashed reports that his administration plans to transfer port services to Naivasha.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto on Sunday stormed the opposition-leaning Coast bearing goodies as they exuded confidence of winning the October 26 repeat election.

Speaking at Serani in Mombasa, President Kenyatta said the opposition wants to rule just to get power but not serve fellow Kenyans, and accused them of spreading hate through tribal politics.

The President, who was clad in Islamic attire, denied that his government oppressed Muslims, saying instead it had given key positions to the community.

He said Principal Secretary Mariam El-Maawy, who died recently, will be replaced by a Muslim.

NOTHING TO SHOW

President Kenyatta said Kenyans should differentiate between development-conscious leaders and propagandists and shun opposition leaders, whom he said had nothing to show for their years in government.

He said his main rival, Nasa leader Raila Odinga, had thought he would reject the repeat presidential election so that the country could plunge into chaos and resort to power sharing.

Although his Jubilee Party was unhappy with the Supreme Court ruling ordering a repeat poll, he said, “we decided to respect it and go back to Kenyans and ask them for their votes”.

He said it was unconstitutional for people to sit in a boardroom and share power as “all power is vested in the people”.

WALK TOGETHER

Said President Kenyatta: “It is the people of Kenya who will decide who will lead them. That is why I am here to ask for your votes on October 26. Let’s walk together in peace.

"Let’s walk together by uniting various communities. Let’s unite in development. Let’s walk together in fighting poverty. Let us walk together in building hospitals and spreading electricity.”

The President reiterated that the Mzima II water projects would be developed to end water problems in Mombasa.

He added that free secondary education in public schools will start next year.

Kenya Ports Authority will be further expanded, he said and trashed reports that his administration plans to transfer port services to Naivasha.

URGED

Welcoming former Wiper secretary-general Hassan Omar to Jubilee, he urged Coast residents and Muslims to vote for the party.

“Sarai (Hassan Omar), welcome we work together and forget about vitendawili (riddles, in an apparent reference to Mr Odinga),” the President told Mr Omar.

Deputy President Ruto was confident of a Jubilee victory in the repeat election and urged the opposition to accept to face them at the ballot instead of making the country ungovernable.

“Demonstrations will not solve the problems facing the country, said Mr Ruto. “If you like democracy, you should accept to return to the poll and let Kenyans decide.”

EVADE ELECTION

The DP accused the opposition of wanting to evade the election by changing the goal posts through various demands, including changes at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The opposition, he said, had no track record and a development agenda for the country.

“If we beat them in the ward representative, senatorial, MPs and governors’ races, how will they win, yet the voters are the same?” Mr Ruto wondered.

Mr Omar was, so far, the biggest catch for Jubilee in Coast after he quit the Kalonzo Musyoka-led party, having lost to Governor Ali Hassan Joho in the Mombasa gubernatorial race.

Former Taita-Taveta Governor John Mruttu, who vied as an independent candidate in August after losing in the ODM primaries, also joined Jubilee as former Likoni MP Suleiman Shakombo also bade farewell to Wiper.

A jubilant Mr Omar received President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto at Serani grounds, hugging the Head of State before sharing a word as Mr Ruto and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, among other leaders, looked on.