William Ruto condemns attack on Raila Odinga in Soy
ODM leader Raila Odinga together and other leaders inspect the chopper that they were using. It was stoned by rowdy youth during Mzee Jackson Kibor's funeral at his home in Samitui farm, Uasin Gishu County on April 1, 2022.
Deputy President William Ruto has condemned the attack on Azimio-OKA coalition Presidential candidate Raila Odinga by rowdy youths in Soy constituency on Friday.
During the incident, Mr Odinga’s vehicles and helicopter were pelted with stones.
On his Twitter account, Dr Ruto, who will be battling it out with Mr Odinga to become Kenya’s fifth president in the August 9 polls, said violence tears down the country's democracy.
He asked Kenyans to allow politicians to sell their agenda in every corner of this country then decide who to rally behind ahead of the August General Election.
"Every politician has the right to sell their agenda in every part of the country. We should listen, evaluate their policies and then decide whom to support," he said.
He went ahead: "Political violence is retrogressive, divisive and tears down our democracy. We condemn and reject it without reservation."
The chopper ferrying Mr Odinga was stoned after attending Mzee Jackson Kibor's burial in Kabenes, Uasin Gishu County on Friday.
The attack destroyed the chopper's air shield and vehicles, Mr Odinga said in a statement.
Mr Odinga had pointed accusing fingers at Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago and Soy MP Caleb Kositany for the attack. The two have since distanced themselves from the incident and have condemned the violence.
Governor Mandago promised to take personal responsibility in ensuring that perpetrators of the attack are arrested.
“I condemn with the strongest terms possible the act of violence directed at the former Prime Minister Rt Hon Raila Odinga after the burial of Mzee Jackson Kibor. Uasin-Gishu is a peaceful county, we will pursue the matter without rest until the perpetrators are all brought to book,” said Governor Mandago in a press statement on Friday evening.
Mr Kositany said: "Sorry about the chopper incident, it's quite unfortunate, it wasn't planned, just learned about it on Twitter."
