• Speaking on Tuesday, the CS said that the much publicised claims that chiefs are being misused are ridiculous.
• Matiang'i's remarks follow accusations by deputy President William Ruto that President Uhuru Kenyatta was planning to disrupt the August 9 polls.
Image: FRED MATIANG'I/TWITTER
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has defended his meetings with security officials, saying that it is his job to work with them.
Speaking on Tuesday, the CS said that the much-publicised claims that chiefs are being misused are ridiculous.
He insisted that the country has been held together by officers from the National Government Administration including during elections when Kenyans are highly divided.
"Every single national agenda we are pushing, we are working with chiefs... Who else I'm I supposed to meet, if not chiefs and county commissioners," Matiang'i said.
"It's frustrating and unfortunate that those saying those things are supposed to be leaders but I have asked my colleagues at all levels to ignore these people."
He added that chiefs have always worked hard and sometimes they barely sleep just to ensure everything is in order and goes as planned.
The CS said that none of them is planning to rig elections as they have been accused.
"We are meeting chiefs because they are our colleagues and that is the work we do. I call chiefs, they call me and they will continue to call me until we leave the offices we are holding and those who come after us I don't see how they will work without chiefs."
Matiang'i's remarks follow accusations by Deputy President William Ruto that President Uhuru Kenyatta was planning to disrupt the August 9 polls.
Ruto claimed he was aware of plans to use chiefs and their assistants to recruit people in polling stations to cause mayhem on the voting day, in a clear scheme to manipulate votes in favour of his opponent, Raila Odinga.
The night meetings, he said, are being held in various parts of the country where up to 30 people are being enlisted and coached to participate in sabotaging the exercise.
“We are asking the public servants not to accept to be used to sabotage and cause conflicts, your job is to serve all Kenyans equally irrespective of their political affiliations,” he said in Kakamega.
"Mr President, why are chiefs and other public servants being forced and threatened in secret meetings to undermine, manipulate and sabotage peaceful elections? " he posed in a statement on Facebook.