The government has dismissed assertions by Kenya Kwanza team that it was seeking to meddle in next Tuesday’s general election.
Interior PS Karanja Kibicho said there was nothing of the sort, and that Deputy President William Ruto and his team are only talking “because the shoe is on the other foot.”
In an exclusive interview with the Star on Thursday, the PS said most Kenya Kwanza members were in government in 2017 and are fully aware there can be no such schemes.
“He [Ruto] knows that we were neutral. He knows what the role of government is in an election. You can’t say that you have frozen the laws of this country because there is an election,” Kibicho said.
He asked Kenyans not to panic over the deployment of security personnel to various parts of the country, saying it was nothing new.
The sentiments followed a barrage of attacks by Ruto allies targeting the Interior ministry on charges of plotting to use chiefs to rig the election in favour of Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga.
In a letter to IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati dated July 30, UDA claimed the Office of the President was “deploying police officers to intimidate, harass, and coerce voters to support Raila.”
UDA further claimed Interior PS, Interior CS and the President have separately chaired meetings with police commanders, chiefs, county commissioners and other officers to relay the instructions.
“UDA presidential candidate William Ruto requests you to investigate these reports of unlawful use of public officers to interfere with the outcome of the presidential election,” the letter by Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki, seen by the Star, reads.
But Kibicho dismissed the claims, saying the Kenya Kwanza team was merely seeking political mileage and had found a soft spot in the Interior ministry.
“In Interior, it is because of what you do. You accept the responsibility of being the doormat of anybody who is unhappy. Ninety-nine per cent of the allegations are unfounded, and they know because they are playing politics,” Kibicho said.
He said the Ruto team knows the claims are not true and that no chiefs has been given money to lure voters into backing Azimio.
“That is why you find we are not too worried. I believe that message is not for me but for somebody else since I am not running for a seat in this country,” Kibicho said.
The PS said it would be “more useful that [Kenya Kwanza] spend the time telling Kenyans what you will do for them, and if you are to attack someone, attack the actual opponent".
Kibicho said the players in the Executive are not dependent on the political government.
'That is why it is called civil service. They are continuous, whichever government comes. The Constitution is in perpetuity, so you can’t say the law has been suspended because there is an election,” he said.
The PS explained that only Parliament has paused because of the election.
“The Executive is in place, and so is the Judiciary. That is why even when there are no politicians, people will be paid salaries this month. You will find people who break the law will be arrested and those taken to court would be processed,” Kibicho said.
The PS further exuded confidence of a high turnout during the election.
“The turnout will be good across the country since we will be having six elections. The mobilisation at the grassroots by the MCAs, where we have even 14 candidates from different parties, will help. Those who turn out will vote for the other seats,” Kibicho said.
On transition plans, the PS said a lot of activities would be rolled out after the IEBC declares the presidential seat winner.
“The committee’s work starts in earnest after the presidential results are announced. You must arrange that with the incoming person in full brief. You cannot brief now because you don’t know who that person would be,” he said.
He said the start of activities would also depend on whether the election will be petitioned in court or otherwise.
Should there be a petition; the earliest the president-elect could be sworn in would be September 13 if the vote is upheld, and November 8 if nullified.
Edited by A.N
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