UHURU and RUTO should not vie for PRESIDENCY - KHALWALE

  Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto should not be allowed to contest the Presidency in the March 4 general election, Ikolomani MP Bony Khalwale has said.

Addressing over 350 UDF delegates from Kakamega County at the party offices in Kakamega town, Khalwale said the two should be barred from contesting because of the crimes against humanity charges facing them at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Khalwale said Kenyans are keenly awaiting the outcome of an integrity case against the two saying the constitution will guide the electoral process and the law must not be applied selectively.

He compared Uhuru and Ruto cases to the case of former deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza who was sacked on the grounds of merely pinching a security guard's nose.

“As leaders from Western Kenya, we are waiting see if the courts will clear the two to run for Presidency. We want to know what between pinching one’s nose and facing crimes against humanity is a serious crime,” Khalwale said.

The outspoken MP, who is also a close ally of Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, said Chapter Six of the constitution should not be applied selectively and told Chief Justice Willy Mutunga that Kenyans have full confidence in the reformed Judiciary and are waiting the outcome of an integrity case keenly.

On the issue of next election, Khalwale dismissed the assertions by Uhuru and Ruto that they have the numbers, saying the next elections will be decided by 14.3million registered voters but not by two tribes.