Deputy President William Ruto's chances of ascending to State House may be threatened by the actions of some United Democratic Alliance (UDA) officials, according to a warning issued by Amani National Congress (ANC) and its affiliate party.
The warning comes after a meeting in Murang'a county where some UDA aspirants allegedly urged voters to adopt a six-piece voting pattern endorsed by the party, effectively disregarding other parties in the Kenya Kwanza alliance.
ANC and the Farmers Party accused the officials who attended the event, organised by UDA Secretary of Legal Affairs Edward Muriu, of asking voters to disregard all other parties in the alliance.
The parties claimed that this strategy was detrimental to Ruto's campaign to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"He (Edward Muriu) led the meeting in addressing the media where they insisted that voters should vote a six-piece in favour of UDA terming the other parties in Kenya Kwanza as 'Matangari' (which means tattered clothes," read the statement in part.
"These are derogatory and shameful remarks that are against the spirit of Kenya Kwanza as demonstrated by the principals... Such reckless statements negatively affect the candidature of the Kenya Kwanza Presidential candidate H.E. William Samoei Ruto to the advantage of our opponents as it could lead to voter apathy," the statement added.
The two parties demanded that the officials be compelled to denounce their utterances publicly to restore the integrity of the party.
The statement was signed by Farmer Party chair Irungu Nyakera and ANC Secretary General Simon Kamau.
At the time, Ruto was battling former Prime Minister Raila Odinga of Azimio One Kenya Alliance party for the presidency.
