Stop conditional promise to accept poll outcome, Ruto tells Raila

Deputy President William Ruto is once again demanding that his opponent Raila Odinga unconditionally declares he will accept the outcome of the August 9 General Election.

In a statement by his Presidential Campaign, Head of Communications, the UDA Presidential flag bearer challenged the ODM and Azimio Presidential contender to stop what he termed as veiled conditions and instead give an assurance to Kenyans that he will concede defeat.

“Odinga issued veiled conditions for his acceptance of the will of the people. He was categorical that only -IF” the election is free and fair and he wins or loses will he accept the result.

Reacting to Raila’s remarks at Chatham House London, the DP said an election cannot be determined by candidates’ subjective opinions in a democratic country with structured electoral systems and processes.

“He again repeated, “SO LONG AS, its free and fair.” The fairness or lack of, in an election is not and cannot be determined by any candidate’s subjective opinion of the results. Kenya has institutions to determine the validity of the election,” the statement by Hussein Mohammed pointed out.

Raila who is in the UK said he will accept poll results if the process will be free and fair.

Ruto at the same time reiterated his commitment to unequivocally accept defeat and urged his competitors to do so stating that the rule of law must always prevail.

“UDA Presidential Candidate Dr William Ruto has committed to and continues to unequivocally challenge his competitors to UNCONDITIONALLY commit to accepting the August 2022 Presidential election results and submit to existing institutional frameworks. No ‘BUT’S’. No ‘IF’S” the statement read.

The DP who is leading the Kenya Kwanza coalition that brings together several parties called out the former premier saying he has a history of causing chaos by rejecting election results.

“We have heard remarks alluding to the fact that if there was no “Handshake”, he, Hon Raila. would have continued to hold our beloved country at ransom and made it impossible to progress peacefully despite him boycotting the repeat presidential elections and swearing himself in as president”, added the statement.

With just four months to go, the election is shaping up to be a two-horse race between Ruto and Raila.