Mathira Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua has challenged the ODM leader Raila Odinga to promise not to swear himself in as president should he lose the presidential race to Deputy President William Ruto.
Speaking on Wednesday, September 29, in Mukurweini during the burial of Nyeri County Assembly Speaker’s father, Mzee Richard Kaguchia, Gachagua pleaded with Raila not to protest the election results that would not favour him for the sake of the peace and unity of the country.
“I urge Raila Odinga to promise to willingly accept defeat if we hold elections and it turns out that he has been defeated by William Ruto. Secondly, he will not bring violence and protests and destroy the property of the people,” Gachagua said.
The Tanga Tanga-allied MP further challenged the opposition leader to assure the nation that he will not go to Uhuru Park to swear himself in as it was the case after the heated 2017 presidential election when he lost to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Mathira MP warned the former Prime Minister against disrupting William Ruto if elected the fifth president saying that the UDA government will not be ready for a handshake with the ODM leader if he loses.
“Pia huyu mtu ya kitendawili atuhakikishie ya kwamba hataleta fujo ndio afanye handshake na William Ruto (Raila Odinga should also assure us that he will not fight the President-elect and request for a handshake with William Ruto),” he added.
This comes barely a week after Raila Odinga’s party made it clear that they will accept the results of the 2022 presidential election on one condition.
“ODM is committed to a peaceful election in August 2022. We will support any roadmap to a peaceful election. We will accept elections results as long as they are free, fair, transparent, and credible,” ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said.
In July, the deputy president said although he was confident of winning, he will concede defeat if beaten by another competitor.
“I will accept the outcome of the elections if I lose,” Ruto said in an interview with Radio Jambo on Tuesday, July 13.
