Now Uhuru blames Raila for unga woes

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses Labour Party of Kenya delegates at KICC on May 19, 2017 during their National Delegates Convention. They endorsed his re-election bid. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The President also asked Mr Odinga and Nasa to stop trying to win votes by lying to Kenyans.
  • Prof Ojiambo asked the President to include the party’s agenda in the operations of government.

The politics surrounding the cost of maize flour took a different twist after President Uhuru Kenyatta accused Opposition leader Raila Odinga of contributing to the high prices when he was the premier.

The Head of State said that while droughts contributed to the shortage of maize, the same situation occurred in 2011 under the coalition government and was not handled well, which also precipitated the current crisis.

“The same situation occurred in 2011 when he was still prime minister when a 2kg packet of maize rose to Sh140.

"When people demonstrated against the high prices, what did he do? He tear gassed people and the price never changed but remained so,” he said.

ABABU ON PARTY HOPPERS
The President also asked Mr Odinga and Nasa to stop trying to win votes by lying to Kenyans.

“Now that we have reduced the price of unga, he wants to side track the story that we are stealing. Jesus!” Mr Kenyatta said during his speech at KICC amphitheatre before the Labour Party of Kenya delegates. LPK endorsed his re-election bid.

Mr Ababu Namwamba, who is the LPK leader, also attacked Mr Odinga for labelling as traitors or moles those who have changed parties.

“It seems like when people support Raila they are saints but when they support other people, they are devils. I want to challenge this narrative. It’s pure hogwash,” he said.

FIND SOLUTIONS
Mr Namwamba, who served as ODM secretary-general until he fell out with Mr Odinga, denied ever having been bought or being a mole.

He claimed that the current breed of opposition leaders were the authors of some of the problems in the country and as such, should stop focusing on the past and embrace Kenya’s future.

This sentiment was also shared by President Kenyatta, who said: “Let us look to the future and work with all Kenyans to find solutions to our problems and not keep complaining like some people who have no solutions but are only interested in petty political goals.”

Mr Raphael Tuju, the Jubilee Party secretary-general, said that they must win by more than 70 per cent in the August 8 elections, a glaring margin to avoid issues with the opposition.

“If even now the opposition wants to choose the polling officers they want in some areas, we must win by a big margin so that they can give us a break,” he said.

REMEMBER US
Prof Julia Ojiambo, the LPK chairperson, also asked the President to include the party’s agenda in the operations of government should they be the victors as she endorsed his re-election.

“We as a party will support your re-election and that of your deputy William Ruto. We want to tell you that the feelings that have been exhibited here fit our thinking, feeling and resolve to work towards ensuring we deliver that winning vote,” she said.

Long time politician Chris Okemo announced his return and candidature for the Nambale parliamentary seat on a LPK ticket.