Matiang'i Responds To Ruto's Bold Attacks On Uhuru, Govt

Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i, responded once again to a series of wild claims by Deputy President William Ruto, mostly regarding the government planning to disrupt the August 9 elections process.

A visibly annoyed CS in a press briefing on Friday, August 5 rubbished Ruto's fears of the government shutting down the internet and power supply ahead of the polls, terming his sentiments cheap.

"I’m not aware of any scheme to influence the Communication Authority of Kenya to shut down the internet or any effort to influence KPLC to switch off power. I find this claim cheap and ridiculous," he noted.

Matiang'i schooled the DP by revealing that the government was run through a proper structure featuring accountability channels, adding that he should know how it works from within.

He called upon the DP to stop the wild profiling by him of government officials charged with guarding the country, especially during a crucial elections period. 

"These unsubstantiated allegations are consistent with frequent, unfounded, and unconscionable attacks against the government and public officers by His Excellency the Deputy President. The government is run through established and well-known structures and accountability channels.

"It is not a secret society cloaked in conspiracies and dark agendas. As a senior member of the same Government, His Excellency the Deputy President ought to know and manifest an understanding of how the Government’s decisions are arrived at and executed," he noted.

He also shot down claims that chiefs and assistant chiefs were participating in the vice of hoarding national identity cards to deter voters from participating in the voting process. However, he affirmed that in the event it would be true, it would be viewed as a criminal offence.

"Allegations that the chiefs and assistant chiefs are buying or withholding IDs to suppress voter turnout in UDA strongholds is ridiculous. If true, it would constitute a criminal and electoral offence.

"There is however no official record made or proof offered by the DP or his associates in support of deterrence and deserved punishment for anyone engaging in the alleged acts. Like everyone else, the DP has an obligation to report on potential crimes," he said.

Matiang'i noted that the government does not have a problem with DP Ruto, that its servants do what they are ordered by their seniors, including him.

"Kenya has come of age and Kenyans are mature people. I agree with DP Ruto that Kenya has a shortage of fools and this applies to the petty claims he is making," he weighed in.

Speaking during a Citizen TV interview on Thursday, August 4, Interior Principal Secretary, Karanja Kibicho dismissed Ruto's sensationalist claims that there was a plot to cause violence and interfere with the polls, which was hatched in the Nakuru State lodge.

Ruto exposed President Uhuru Kenyatta and profiled some police bosses, including regional and three county commissioners, alleging that they were staging night meetings to plan violence.

He named Rift Valley Regional Commissioner, Maalim Mohammed, Trans Nzoia County Commissioner Samson Ojwang, Uasin Gishu's Stephen Kihara and Esustus Mbui of Nakuru as individuals who have been propagating inciteful and hate messages across the country.