No cause for worry on elections, Kenya says after EU warning

Battle for presidency: President Uhuru Kenyatta with NASA flag bearer Raila Odinga. /FILE
Battle for presidency: President Uhuru Kenyatta with NASA flag bearer Raila Odinga. /FILE

The government has allayed fears of post-election violence saying it has taken steps

to deal with any eventuality.

Spokesman Erick Kiraithe addressed the press on Monday, shortly after a warning by EU observers.

Chief Observer Marietje Schaake

told the press Kenyans are concerned about chaos so the government should ensure a repeat of 2007/8 events is not the case.

"It is no secret there are concerns about the possible outbreak of violence. This is not inevitable and it is clear that this would create a situation where everyone loses," she said.

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But Kiraithe said:

“There is no cause for anxiety. We are prepared for the elections and the government is prepared to deal divisively with any eventuality.

“We have seen peaceful campaigns so far. We have also seen a lot of restraint and a corporation with security agencies. We haven’t had conflict on venues and times and that is how it should be."

The spokesman noted that though

the government is generally satisfied with the way politicians have conducted campaigns so far, some of them have been treading on dangerous grounds.

“We have heard a few utterances which cause anxiety among populations in the country,” he said.

He urged politicians to refrain from issuing hateful remarks, warning authorities will not hesitate to take action against them.

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The government has also dismissed claims by a section of Opposition politicians that the IBEC has recruited police officers as polling clerks.

Kiraithe said officers will only provide security during the elections and will not get involved in any other way.

In June, Opposition leader Raila Odinga accused Jubilee of dragging KDF into politics by deploying more than 100 of them to Kakamega.

Raila further claimed the soldiers are training civilians and that the programme is similar to what was allegedly done at the same venue before the 2007 general election.

Kiraithe dismissed him saying his claims were unfounded.

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