Raila blasts DP over ownership of Laikipia ADC land
Azimio-One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga yesterday thrashed his key opponent, Deputy President William Ruto, saying the latter scored his own goal during Tuesday’s debate.
Explaining that he could not share such a platform with the Kenya Kwanza candidate based on principles, Raila said Ruto blundered several times, especially when he denied ownership of 16,000-acre parcel of land in Laikipia county. “The reason I refused to join my opponent in the debate is that I believe he is not clean. To make matters worse, he went ahead and scored his own goal,” Raila told a crowd at Rumuruti area.
Raila, who was accompanied by his running mate, Martha Karua and other coalition leaders, declared that should he form the next government, he would ensure the grabbed Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) land reverts to the public.
“He should not lament when we return the property since he has already said the land in question does not belong to him,” Raila said.
The matter of the ADC land was raised by Laikipia Governor Nderitu Mureithi, who asked Raila to intervene should he form the next government and ensure the land, which was meant for agricultural research and development is used for the intended purpose.
Raila also vowed to open up the area by building a robust road network and restore peace and tranquillity in the volatile region.
“The issue of insecurity has been a major thorn in the flesh for this region. I will act decisively to restore peace and make issues of insecurity a thing of the past,” Raila pledged adding that as a stop-gap measure, he would re-introduce the Kenya Police Reserve unit in the area.
Karua said an Azimio leadership would deal firmly and fairly with corruption and looting on public resources, but in a manner devoid of witch hunting.
