Deputy President William Ruto has said he will rehire all chiefs sacked for failing to heed orders by some state officials to mobilise for his rival, Raila Odinga.
The state denies it is improperly requiring chiefs and their assistants to favour Raila and create obstacles for Ruto supporters.
Ruto said chiefs are public servants and should be allowed to serve all Kenyans impartially without being compelled to campaign for an individual.
The Deputy President has been insisting that government officers have been meeting administrators and requiring them to campaign for Raila and recruit poll disruptors.
Interior CS Fred Matiang’I and PS Karanja Kibicho have said they will continue meeting security officers to prepare for free and fair elections.
But Ruto, who was addressing Murang’a and Kangema town residents on Tuesday, told chiefs that their jobs are protected by the constitution and that they should not be used to play politics.
“Chiefs should be independent and serve all Kenyans equally, regardless of their class or ethnicity,” Ruto said.
“If you refuse to give in to the evil instructions to interfere with the polls, I will employ those who will be sacked over their stand."
Ruto scoffed at Raila’s promise to fight graft, saying the people looting the government are his friends, yet little action has been taken against them.
Raila, the Deputy President said, has no plan for Kenyans he kept off the presidential debate as he did not want to be taken to task.
He said he would have forced Raila to explain what he plans to do for Kenyans, accusing him of being a project of people behind state capture.
“I would have asked why he is lying that he will fight graft yet his friends were incriminated in the Kemsa scandal and have not been held to account three years later.
Who told us that Raila was a mad man?...mtu wa kitendawili. [Who said] we will put him in a wheelbarrow and take him to Bondo?
“He pretended he kept off the debate because he did not want to debate me but why didn’t he turn up to address the millions of Kenyans who were watching?” Ruto asked.
He said the Azimio la Umoja alliance has sensed defeat, which is why they are targeting the IEBC and engaging in theatrics.
Even the President, Ruto said, who used to boast that Kenyans would vote for 'his' candidate has now announced he will hand over power to whoever wins.
The President should have found a better candidate than Raila especially after telling Kenyans at one time that he was unfit for leadership.
“Who told us that Raila was a mad man? Sometimes uko na mchezo… ulikosa mtu mwingine kati ya wale watu 10 million walikuspport 2013 na 2017. We respect you but we will not support mtu wa kitendawili. We will put him in a wheelbarrow and take him to Bondo?” he asked.
Ruto was accompanied by his running mate MP Rigathi Gachagua and MPs Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Mary Waithera (Maragua), Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) and Kenya Kwanza candidates.
(Edited by V. Graham)
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