PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Prof George Saitoti has expressed confidence he will win the presidency next year. Saitoti said he was confident that Kenyans will elect him the country’s fourth president after president Kibaki retires from office next year because of his experience in leadership. “I have declared to run for presidency next year and I am fit as you see me. I will come back to ask you for votes and I am sure and believe that we will make it,” Saitoti said in Hamisi constituency t the weekend.
Saitoti, the internal Security and Provincial Administration minister said the next elections must be free, fair and devoid of violence. He steer cleared off the election date debate. He asked Kenyans not to experiment with leaders but vet and make sure they elected leaders capable of uniting the country. He said Kenyans should reject tribal leaders noting tribal leaders were themselves a recipe for chaos.
Saitoti made the remarks when he addressed two rallies at Banja and Cheptulu markets in Hamisi constituency at the weekend. He was accompanied by Education Secretary Prof George Godia and area MP George Khaniri and Secretary for provincial administration Victor Okioma. He said that he has the requisite experience having served as vice president for thirteen years.
Saitoti spoke as it emerged that G7 group leaders had come up with a two pronged strategy to defeat Prime Minister Raila Odinga. The first strategy entails the group nominating a single candidate while the rest share up other Government posts while a second is where the group would split and run as presidential candidates to deny ODM straight win in round one and therefore force a run off.
Saitoti who chairs PNU has been reported to have assembled a Sh 2 billion war chest for the presidential battle next year. Yesterday, Saitoti said this is time to ensure equality in the country’s leadership urging Kenyans to forget the past and begin afresh to move the country forward. “Kenyans should think beyond parties and elect people with leadership integrity. Leaders should provide leadership and not tribalize their communities,” said the Kajiado Central MP.
Saitoti said that the incursion into Somalia by Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) was targeting elimination of Al Shabaab and not a religion. “Kenya has no problem with Somalis both in Kenya and Somalia. We are not fighting Muslims as a religion but criminals in the name of Al Shabaab,” he said.
Saitoti said he would engage fellow ministers and the president so as to come up with measures to mitigate the high cost of food. “It is wrong to lead people who are hungry,” he added. He said increase in petroleum products informed the skyrocketing prices of food in the country and the situation must be rectified.
Source: NAIROBI STAR
Comments