Deputy President William Ruto has condemned the attack on Azimio-OKA coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga by rowdy youths in Soy constituency on Friday.
Mr Odinga’s chopper was stoned after attending his deceased friend’s burial in Kabenes, Uasin Gishu County by the youths who pelted and destroyed the chopper’s air shield. Raila’s vehicles were stoned.
On his Twitter account, Dr Ruto, who will be battling it out with Mr Odinga to become Kenya’s fifth president in the August 9 polls, said violence tears down the country’s democracy.
“I take this opportunity to apologize to the Hon Raila Odinga for what happened to him yesterday and all hope all those who engaged in this exercise regret what they did” William Ruto said.
Ruto also pledged that his party will work with security agencies to ensure “to get to the root of the most unfortunate act” and says any UDA aspirant found culpable of planning the incident will be barred from party ticket.
“..We will demonstrate our commitment to an election that is peaceful by making sure that we take the necessary steps to ensure that all our members, all our candidates, and our entire party engages in this election on basis of ideas and not any acts that are as unfortunate as we saw yesterday” Ruto adds.
Ruto asked Kenyans to allow politicians to sell their agenda in every corner of this country then decide who to rally behind ahead of the August General Election.
“Every politician has the right to sell their agenda in every part of the country. We should listen, evaluate their policies and then decide whom to support,” he said.
Mr Odinga’s camp had pointed accusing fingers at Usian Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago and Soy MP Caleb Kositany for the attack. The two have since distanced themselves from the incident and have condemned the violence as police investigates the matter.