NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 15 — Deputy President William Ruto was Tuesday set to be crowned the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate in the August 9 State House race after the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) cleared him on Saturday.
The event to be held at the Kasarani Indoor Sports Complex in Nairobi will attract at least 5,000 delegates in addition to allied politicians from Kenya Kwanza Alliance parties.
Those expected include Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Moses Wetangula (FORD Kenya), William Kabogo (Tujibebe Party), Moses Kuria (CCK) and Martha Karua (NARC Kenya).
Ruto emerged as the party’s choice to seek the top seat after beating two other contenders.
The two other candidates were disqualified after failing to meet the required threshold.
NEC Vice Chairperson Kipruto Arap Kirwa said Ruto emerged the best candidate after meeting the required threshold.
“We had three applicants who presented themselves. The first one was William Samoei Ruto and the verdict was that he is the candidate we shall present to Kasarani on Tuesday for the NDC to make necessary resolution for the purposes of presenting his name to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC),” NEC Vice Chairperson Kipruto arap Kirwa told news reporters at the party headquarters on Saturday.
Tracy Wanjiru, a third-year student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), was disqualified for lacking a degree certificate.
“The young lady had only one hitch that she is doing analytical chemistry at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and the legal requirement under the constitution is that any presidential candidate of necessity have a degree from a recognized university,” Kirwa said.
“We were not able to allow her to proceed beyond today but we have graciously requested the SG to give her an invitation to join us for the NDC for the purposes of robust interaction with the rest of the party membership.”
The 23-year-old accepted the outcome of the process saying she had confidence in Ruto’s ability and that she would try her luck in the future.
“I believe in being in going for what you want, and I believe women, youth and people in the minority have and will have a golden opportunity under the leadership of Samoei William,” Wanjiru said.
Jephnei Nyakwama, who applied for waiver of the Sh1 million nomination fees, lost his bid with party’s NEC citing the need for an equal playing field.
“He has come in and going through verification o f documents. However, the issue of the waiver is not a small issue because it touches on many isssues like have the other candidates been given a waiver, so we have to treat them equally,” UDA’s Secretary General Veronica Maina said.
Nyakwama however indicated that he was happy with the democratic processes that he was taken through and hoped that he will one day clinch the seat.
“I am glad that I have been able to even meet the National Elections Board Members. I am the real hustler and UDA party is interested on scoring not who scores,” he said.
The candidates were required to avail their National Identification Cards, a colored passport-sized photograph on (soft copy), proof of payment of nomination fees, original and copy of the academic certificates and an updated resume.
Once cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), DP Ruto will face off with his closest political foe Raila Odinga of the Azimio Movement among other contenders in the August 9 polls.
