Kiyiapi party accuses Govt spokesman of bias

By AGGREY MUTAMBO amutambo@ke.nationmedia.com  ( email the author)

Posted  Tuesday, February 19  2013 at  11:18

SHARE THIS STORY

  

 0
inShare

The Restore and Build Kenya (RBK) party has waded into the election rigging claims accusing government spokesman Muthui Kariuki of being partisan.

In a statement, RBK presidential running mate Winnie Kaburu accused Mr Kariuki of dividing the country by his response to claims of rigging the elections by the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord).

“As RBK, we have had concerns about manipulation of the electoral playing field to make certain candidates “preferred candidates”.

“But when the government spokesman takes serious allegations casually, the country is left divided, insecure and confused just two weeks to the General Election,” she said.

On Sunday, Mr Kariuki termed Cord's allegations that some top government officials were plotting to rig elections in favour of Jubilee alliance as “reckless, irresponsible and immature” and based on a familiar plot.

“The allegations by Cord are part of a political strategy by the Alliance to reject the elections should the outcome not favour them,” he told reporters.

“The Prime Minister is a co-principal in this administration and the coordinator of all government activities; one is bound to wonder whether this coordination also involves the rigging of forthcoming elections.”

On Saturday, Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Chief Campaign Manager Eliud Owalo alleged top government officials including the military were engaging in activities to support Jubilee and its presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta.

But on Monday, Ms Kaburu who is Prof James Ole Kiyiapi's running mate asserted that while Mr Odinga’s side should have made the claims with evidence, it would be imprudent to ignore him.

“We have no way of knowing whether this is political propaganda. Part of the government should not make allegations without giving out all the particulars to the relevant authorities.

“But when the government spokesman goes on national TV to counter claims of rigging, we are forced to revisit Raila’s allegation on vote rigging."

RBK questioned whether Mr Kariuki had morphed from a government spokesman to that of Jubilee and criticised the government for failing to take charge of the situation by acting as though it were a ‘caretaker’ government.

“Is this not to endorse Uhuru and Ruto in this presidential race? Is this not to say that the government is working for certain candidates? Is the Government spokesman holding brief for the Jubilee candidates?”

When contacted, Mr Kariuki told the Nation he is a government spokesman, the one Mr Kenyatta “used to serve before he discovered he could make CEO of this country"

“I am not a politician. It is my business to clarify issues and put the record straight on behalf of the government. Let him (Prof Kiyiapi and his party) concentrate on his faltering campaign and leave me to do my job,” he told the Nation in a text message.