Roots Party presidential candidate George Wajackoyah has affirmed that he is still on the ballot despite confusion in the political outfit in the days leading up to the August 9, general election.
Wajackoyah and his deputy Justina Wamae disagreed on who to support among Azimio La Umoja – One Kenya candidate Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto, who is running on a United Democratic Alliance ticket.
The Roots Party presidential candidate insisted he was still on the ballot, dismissing Odinga’s endorsement as mere “praise.”
“I am on the ballot, Kenyans should vote in large numbers and anyone who wants to go to Raila or Ruto team in my team, the door is wide open,” he stated.
When asked why he was heaping praise on a presidential rival, Wajakcoyah stated that it was an act of survival because he was campaigning in Kisumu, which he referred to as Odinga’s bed rock.
Wajackoyah claimed that he was in a ‘danger zone,’ and that his advisors advised him to appease the crowd by heaping praise on Odinga, who is revered in the region, in order to survive.
“Kisumu is a tough area to manage the DP was stoned there the first time. I was in a place where you can be killed anytime because those people know nobody apart From Raila Odinga,” he stated.
“The first time I said to escape stones, the second one I said it because it was the truth. I meant it because Raila has done good and Ruto has equally done good,” he said.
Wajackoyah claimed that anyone in his political vehicle who wants to leave days before the election can do so, and that there were moles from both Azimio and Kenya Kwanza in his party.
“I know I have moles in my group and I have been looking at them is just that I can’t chase them away. Now they come up your endorsing Raila, I will endorse Ruto that’s a non issue as far as I am concerned,” he said.
In a statement, Wamae stated that if Wajackoya supports the former Prime Minister, she will throw her support behind Ruto.
“It is true there are allegations that my principal and party leader is supporting Azimio la Umoja candidate but we have not discussed that as a party, we have not agreed neither have I been consulted,” said Wamae.
“If push comes to shove and we need to take a stand on who to support, out of the other three presidential candidates who are our worthy competitors, then I will support the contrary,” she added.
