Uhuru, ruto win kikwete support

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012 - 00:00 -- BY CHARLES KERICH

TNA presidential aspirant Uhuru Kenyatta and Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa met Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Uhuru led what was described as a TNA, URP and Ford Kenya delegation that included TNA-allied MPs Rachel Shebesh (nominated), Moses ole Sakuda (Kajiado North) and former Wajir North MP Dr Abdulahi Ali together with assistant minister Kazungu Kambi, an ally of URP presidential hopeful William Ruto.

There was no representative from Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka's Wiper Democratic Party, a key player in the G7 Alliance. Also present was the Kenyan High Commissioner to Tanzania, Mutinda Mutiso.

The Star could not readily establish the reason for the trip that comes just days after the media reported a possible Uhuru-Ruto alliance signed a deal that would see them contest on a joint ticket in the March 4, 2013 general election.

"International or foreign powers should keep off politics of Kenya and let Kenyans democratically elect their leaders," President Kikwete was quoted as having said by the head of the Eugene Wamalwa Centre, Tony Gachoka.

"Kenya's elections should be left to the people of Kenya to decide. Democracy will only reign in Africa when the people have leaders they elected democratically themselves."

President Kikwete was part of the mediating team that brought President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to the negotiating table during the 2007-08 post-election violence that rocked the country and culminated with the signing of the National Accord.

Uhuru again attacked former UN secretary General Kofi Annan who last week said an Uhuru or Ruto presidency would be risky for Kenya.

Annan told a media briefing in Nairobi at the end of his tour of Kenya the country risked international isolation if any of the two politicians were elected president.

Uhuru said Annan and the panel of eminent persons' role in Kenyan politics ended with the signing of the National Accord, and they should stop meddling in internal politics.

"Annan should stop pretending to be a prefect of Kenyans when everybody knows it was Jakaya Kikwete who broke the stalemate between President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga when Annan had stayed in Kenya for a month without success," Wamalwa said yesterday.

Wamalwa argued that Chapter Six of the constitution, on leadership and integrity, applied differently to appointed and elected leaders. "The Supreme Court should urgently interpret the difference between the two as when you get the vote from the citizens, that is the highest form of mandate and not a decision by three judges," Wamalwa said through Gachoka.

The leaders praised the close ties between Kenya and Tanzania, and reaffirmed the friendship that goes back many years. President Kikwete stressed the need for unity in Kenya ahead of the general election.

He called for the respect of the "decision of the people of Kenya", adding that Kenyans are the masters of their own destiny and must be allowed to elect their leaders without undue interference. President Kikwete said Africa would respect the decision Kenyans would make in the general election.

Uhuru said his goal and that of like-minded leaders was to move the country forward in unity, and he was therefore reaching out to leaders of other political parties.

The trip to Tanzania is part of campaign by politicians to gather support from regional leaders ahead of the elections. This was the second meeting between President Kikwete and the leaders allied to the G7.

In June 2011, Ruto led a group of ministers and MPs to meetings with the Uganda President Yoweri Museveni and President Kikwete in what was described as attempts by the URP leader to portray himself as credible presidential material.

It comes as debate rages over whether Uhuru and Ruto should be allowed to contest in the elections as they are facing charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court at the Hague.

The Kenya Youth Parliament and the Kenya Youth League, as well as registered voters Patrick Njuguna, Agostino Netto and Charles Omanga have moved to court seeking orders that Uhuru and Ruto should be barred from contesting in the general election on the grounds that International Criminal Court charges against them are serious offences under Kenyan and international law.

The groups argue that allowing the two to contest for public office would be a recipe for chaos and perpetuate a culture of impunity. The court was asked to permanently restrain the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission from accepting the nomination of any candidate who has been committed to trial for serious criminal charges.

The petitioners also sought a declaration that the presumption of innocence in favour of Uhuru and Ruto should not override the need to uphold the principles of the constitution which has placed strict requirements for a high level of integrity for public office holders.

Mpaka sasa bado hakuna Rais aliyetuma salaam za pongezi kwa wateule hawa. Tunangojea kuona kiongozi wa kwanza kuwapongeza hawa watuhumiwa.

Hongera Jakaya!

Zuma sio president?

Jakaya anapendwa na wakenya kumbee!

Jakaya was non committal kwani alisema "Tanzania ingeheshimu uamuzi wa waKenya". At the same time unasemaje kuhusu mfadhili wake mkuu kupia EPA [ROSTAM} kuwa kwenye kampeni machinery ya Odinga huko Kenya?

kikwete akongezea kusema kenyatta has won the "trust" of kenyans......

very important....

" A n n a n s h o u l d s t o p p r e t e n d i n g t o b e a p r e f e c t o f K e n y a n s wh e n e v e r y b o d y k n ow s i t w a s J a k a y a K i kw e t e wh o b r o k e t h e s t a l ema t e b e t w e e n P r e s i d e n t K i b a k i a n d P r i me M i n i s t e r R a i l a O d i n g a wh e n A n n a n h a d s t a y e d i n K e n y a f o r a mo n t h w i t h o u t s u c c e s s , " Wama l w a s a i d y e s t e r d a y .