Ruto Condemns Violence At Jacaranda Grounds As UDA Calls On IEBC To Disqualify MP Babu Owino 

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun, 20 – A day after Kenya Kwanza Alliance politicians led by Deputy President William Ruto overcame a hail of stones from rowdy youth at the Jacaranda stadium in Nairobi county, the presidential candidate said that no form of intimidation or violence will deter him from actualizing his vision for the country.

Police were forced to hurl teargas at the youth that turned the grounds into a mini battlefield.

Ruto accused his political nemesis, Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga of the chaos, alleging that he mobilized youth to disrupt his meeting.

“We want to tell them that no amount of bullets, stones, and threats will stop this nation from changing,” said Ruto who further said, “No youth will ever throw stones again. Let our competitors meet us at the ballot and stop this blackmail.”

Ruto further expressed confidence that he will emerge victorious on August 9, 2022, elections calling on his competitors to cease violence and campaign peacefully.

“To Raila Odinga, please start planning to go home because victory is for us in just 50 days. You have attacked this young man Francis Mureithi leading him to shed blood. You can’t continue to shed blood of the people of Kenya in a futile attempt to be what you can never be. You have shed enough blood already. How much blood do you want to shed? Please go home, you’ve shed enough blood,” he said.

Ruto had earlier encountered the chaos after his motorcade was pelted with stones as it made its way to the grounds. At one point, he was even forced to take cover amidst safety concerns.

Police were however quickly deployed to the area to provide protection to the DP as well as restore order.

Several rowdy youth were arrested after they were engaged in an altercation with rival supporters. Police had also SAID that a bus ferrying Kenya Kwanza supporters was also pelted with stones.

Embakasi East UDA candidate Francis Mureithi was injured during the incident with his ODM counterpart Babu Owino being accused of allegedly sponsoring the violence.

Owino however refuted the claims saying that the violence came about as a result of a tussle by some youth over ‘handouts from his counterpart that was being distributed at the Jacaranda grounds.

The legislator has initially argued that he booked the venue as per a letter dated June 15 further saying that the was forced to cancel his event in a bid to avoid chaos.

UDA Secretary-General Veronica Maina has since written to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati seeking to have the electoral body disqualify Owino from defending.

Maina argued that Owino contravened the poll body’s code of conduct, requiring candidates to cooperate and liaise in good faith with other parties to avoid organizing public meetings, demonstrations, rallies, or marches to take place at the same time at a similar venue.