THE REASON WHY RUTO WILL NOT VIE FOR PRESIDENT

City voters have moved to court to block Deputy President William Ruto from taking a stab at the August 9 General Election.

The three electorates from Kisumu City County filed a lawsuit at the Kisumu High Court and asked the court to bar Ruto from contesting in the upcoming polls.

They argued that the Office of President and that of his deputy should be declared inseparable and holders should serve for strictly two terms.

Cornel Otieno Onyango, Alaro Peter, and Ali Otula Sule thus want Ruto to retire with President Uhuru Kenyatta when the latter’s second term ends in August this year.

“We went to court to seek clarification on certain articles of law. Since Kenya is a Constitutional state, where we must conduct ourselves within the dictates of the law, we have discovered there are so many things that have been taking place in this Republic, which are not consistent with the law,” the voters stated.

The trio argued that the court ought to deem it mandatory that the top two political leaders should retire after two terms only.

The Independent Electorate and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), was also roped into the case as a respondent. Onyango and the other two applicants want the commission led by its Chair Wafula Chebukati to be stopped from clearing retired state officers seeking any elective position.

“I strongly believe that were are legitimate sovereign citizens of this Republic and since Kenya is a republic constituted under the act of law, we believe that our objective is to straighten the country through the laws that are already in force,” they stated.

They added, “We intend to notify the public that there is a case that must be heard first before any election is held.”

The case will be heard on Tuesday, February 22.

According to current election laws, the Deputy President is eligible to seek any elective post after the end of the two terms. The Constitution however bars the President from contesting for a third term.

Ruto who has been touring parts of the country to solidify his support base has, however, not yet responded to the three petitioners.

By kenyans.co.ke