Uhuru calls for peace during and after August 8 polls

President Uhuru Kenyatta at Tononoka, Mombasa, on August 2, 2017 before the start of his rally. PHOTO | LABAN WALOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • President Kenyatta cited road construction, equipping and upgrading of hospitals and doubling of electricity connections as among his achievements.
  • Mr Ruto said Jubilee had a national outlook and the interests of Kenyans at heart, adding that many firms had set up base in Kenya from 2013.
  • Kilifi Jubilee governorship candidate Gideon Mung’aro said he would end corruption if elected on Tuesday.
  • The President urged residents of Makueni, Kitui and Machakos to ditch the opposition.

President Kenyatta on Wednesday said anyone planning to cause chaos on election day would face the law.

At a Jubilee Party rally in Kilifi town, the President, accompanied by his deputy William Ruto, asked Kenyans to cast their ballots and go home to wait for the results.

“Nobody should be intimidated into voting in a particular way,” said President Kenyatta. “Action will be taken against those who cause violence.”

Urging Coast residents to vote for him, the President added: “The choice will be between development and progress against rhetoric, propaganda and tribalism.

“They (National Super Alliance flagbearer Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka) told you we would be jailed by ICC but we still won in 2013.”

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Citing road construction, equipping and upgrading of hospitals and doubling of electricity connections as among his achievements, he said 300,000 title deeds had been issued to Coast residents in the four years he has been in power.

Mr Ruto said Jubilee had a national outlook and the interests of Kenyans at heart, adding that many firms had set up base in Kenya from 2013.

Kilifi Jubilee governorship candidate Gideon Mung’aro said he would end corruption if elected on Tuesday.

Nasa and Jubilee are scrambling for the 1.7 million votes at the Coast, a region that overwhelmingly voted for the opposition in 2013.

Nasa leaders are expected in the region on Friday.

VIOLENCE

The President repeated his warning on violence when he landed in Wote town, Makueni County, hours later.

Nasa leaders have been calling on their supporters to remain at polling stations until the results are announced.

The opposition has also come up  with a plan dubbed ‘Adopt-a-Polling Station’ to ensure no one leaves their usual residence for fear of violence and that they actually vote.

The President urged residents of Makueni, Kitui and Machakos to ditch the opposition. He said Mr Musyoka, who is from Kitui, was free to join Jubilee.

He said his development record would earn him a second term.

RURAL ELECTRIFICATION

“The government has done a lot in Makueni,” he said, citing roads, rural electrification and equipping of hospitals, “and we are in the process of constructing a Sh300 million Makueni Stadium”.

He said his administration was committed to the Sh62 billion Thwake Dam project.

President Kenyatta threatened to punish chiefs and other administrators who support the opposition. He said: “The allowances you are getting and motorcycles you ride are the property of Jubilee.”

The latest opinion polls show President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga in a neck-and-neck battle for State House.

Reported by Lucas Barasa, Samuel Kazungu and Pius Maundu