Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has said he is at liberty to pick whoever he feels is best suited to take over from him in the August 9, General Election.
While refuting claims that he has already settled on his successor, the Head of State said he will support someone who he trusts will proceed with his development projects.
“Mimi sina project ya mtu lakini nitaangalia kura yangu niweke kwa mtu ambaye nitaamini na kama mtu mmoja ama wawili wataniskiza nitawaambia mimi ombi langu ni hivi, (I do not have a project but I will look at my vote and put it in someone I will trust and if one or two people hear me I will tell them my request is this), Uhuru said.
Uhuru who was speaking in Changamwe, Mombasa County on Monday, February 7, said he will unveil his successor at the right time.
“Sasa kipindi cha siasa kimefika na mtatusikia. Kuna wakati wa kazi na wakati wa siasa, sasa kila mtu akona uhuru; wale ambao walitangulia na wale ambao tunaingia (Now the political period is here and you will hear from us. There is a time for work and a time for politics, now everyone is free; those who started (camapigning early) and those of us who are just coming in,” said President Kenyatta.
With barely six months to the August 9, elections, ODM leader Raila Odinga has emerged as President Uhuru’s preferred successor in the 2022 State House race.
According to a recent opinion poll by TIFA, 48 percent of Kenyans believe that Raila is Uhuru’s preferred candidate for the 2022 presidential bid.
Apart from the survey, in October last year while addressing a gathering in Kibra in the company of Raila, the first in command urged voters to elect their next president wisely.
“When Raila and I came together, there was peace, which brought about development. Isn’t that what we want?… The choice is yours,” said the president, an indication that he was in favour of some familiar continuity.