• Matiang'i said the Interior Ministry is ready to support the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to conduct the General Elections peacefully.
• In a press conference at Hustler Centre in Nairobi, the team said the CSs must be neutral or resign and become official ODM agents.
Image: ALVIN RATEMO
Interior CS Fred Matiang´i has dismissed concerns by Deputy President William Ruto´s allies over the involvement of Cabinet secretaries in politics.
While responding to the United Democratic Alliance campaign team´s challenge for CSs to desist from engaging in politics, the CS labeled those in the UDA camp as hypocrites and pretenders.
"In 2017, I was on the campaign trail with all of them. So, did I become a CS now in 2022,” Matiang´i posed.
On Thursday, the Director General of the Presidential campaign of the UDA, Josphat Nanok, led the partyś campaign team in castigating Cabinet secretaries for openly campaigning for Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.
They listed Matiang’i and his counterparts Eugene Wamalwa (Defence), Joe Mucheru (Information and Communication),Peter Munya (Agriculture) and Mutahi Kagwe (Health).
In a press conference at Hustler Centre in Nairobi, the team said the CSs must be neutral or resign and become official ODM agents.
They in particular singled out Mucheru who they accused of purporting to assume roles and positions intended to influence the conduct and the outcome of the August 9 election,
"We call out the same Cabinet Secretary and his colleagues for their open, flagrant and shameless association and promotion of one political coalition and its presidential candidate," Nanok said.
But Matiangí was dismissive in his response. He spoke in Kisii on Saturday.
"They did not raise issues when we were campaigning with them, even here in Kenyana market I was with them in meetings," he said without mentioning names.
"The Internet does not forget, go and look videos and so on of rallies where we were with them, those who are making those claims,” Matiang'i said.
The CS said those making the accusations are being dishonest all because they are no longer with them.
"This dishonesty characterizes the behaviour of those people. It;s laughable that they are seeking public leadership,”he added.
"There´s no law we have broken. And in any case, when did I lose my rights to comment about what is happening in society," Matiang'i posed.
"I'm not aware myself of any efforts to interfere with elections."
Matiang'i said the Interior Ministry is ready to support the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to conduct the General Elections peacefully.
He said the concerns could be an indication that the UDA camp wants to do something and are now building propaganda or they have sensed defeat at the August polls and are busy whipping up emotions.
"These are not foolish people, they are intelligent people. Why would they make some of these silly claims they are making unless they are trying to steer public opinion in a certain direction because they know what is going to happen," Matiang'i posed.
He assured the country that the elections will be peaceful.