NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 14 — The government has given a commitment to ensure credible General Election and ensure a seamless transition after the August 9 presidential election.
The assurance was given during a briefing session led by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi who med members of the diplomatic corps in the company of Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, Joe Mucheru (Youth) and Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau.
The team also briefed the diplomats on Kenya’s economic recovery, Matiangi said.
“I reiterated the government’s commitment to facilitate IEBC and relevant bodies conduct a free and fair elections and a successful transition of government to ensure continuity of business and development projects,” the Interior Cabinet Secretary said after emerging from the meeting held at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is set to conduct national elections featuring six ballots including the presidential, gubernatorial and parliamentary polls.
Two main formations have emerged as top contenders for in the presidential race — Raila Odinga’s Azimio Movement and Deputy President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
President Uhuru Kenyatta who is set to retire after serving for two terms has thrown his weight behind Odinga’s candidature with the ruling Jubilee Party expected to formalize an alliance with ODM, the lead constituent party in Azimio.
The presidential election is promising to be a hotly contested one amid allegations of rigging and manipulation of State security to give the Azimio team an edge.
Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), and Kenya Kwanza partners Amani National Congress (ANC) and FORD Kenya called out Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege who claimed the governing party would rig the elections in Odinga’s favor “just as we did in the 2017 election.”
Chege later denied the remarks saying her comments during an Azimio rally were taken out of context.
She was summoned to appear before the poll agency on Tuesday for questioning in relation to the remarks that suggested the 2017 election was rigged and that IEBC played a role in the election fraud.
