Poghisio: Raila should bow out of presidential race

Information Minister Samuel Poghisio wants Prime Minister Raila Odinga out of the presidential race as president Mwai Kibaki ends his term in office next year.

Mr Poghisio said the Prime Minister is one of the people associated with the 2007-2008 post-election violence that rocked the country and therefore, like the president, should pack and go.

“Kenya now requires fresh leadership from that of 2007-2008 which saw bloody violence which killed more than 1300 Kenyans. We want a new beginning,” said Poghisio.

The minister said both Kibaki and Raila were squarely involved in the violence that erupted following the disputed presidential results after the 2007 general election.

Mr Poghisio made the remarks at Chumani Secondary School in Bahari constituency, Kilifi County where he accompanied Eldoret North MP Mr William Ruto on his tour to woo support for presidential bid.

He said with Kibaki and Raila out of the way, “the rest of us can then sit down and decide who will be our flag bearer”.

The minister said he had in mind the likes of vice president Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Mr Ruto, Mr Eugene Wamalwa and those who had declared to be interested to go to State House.

A battery of former and current legislators attended the United Democratic Movement (UDM) rally that Mr Ruto hosted to seek votes for his presidential ambition.

Apart from Poghisio, those in attendance included Trade minister Ali Chirau Mwakwere (Matuga), assistant ministers Gonzi Rai (Kinango), Kazungu Kambi (Kaloleni) and Mahmoud Ali (Moyale), David Koech (Mosop), Cyrus Jirongo (Lugari), Chachu Ghanya (North Hor), Dr. Peter Kones (Konoin), Mohamed Hussein Ali (Mandera) and Ekwee Ethuro (Turkana).

Others were MPs Abdhalla Ngozi (Msambweni), Ananiah Mwaboza (Kisauni), Moses Akaranga, Francis ole Kaparo, Stanley Livondo, Elina Mbaru and Anthony Kingi among others.

The leaders drummed up support for UDM saying it is the party for now and the future and urged Kenyans to support Mr Ruto’s presidential bid.