'I don't intend to rig poll but protect Raila's votes' - CS Joe Mucheru

ICT CS Joe Mucheru. [David Njaaga, Standard]

ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru has reiterated that he doesn’t intend to steal elections for Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga but to protect his votes.

Mr Mucheru has been on the radar of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance led by Deputy President William Ruto and his UDA party who allege that he has been involved in partisan campaigns and should resign.

So agitated is Dr Ruto’s team has already lodged a protest letter to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) demanding Mucheru’s resignation.

However, the CS, who spoke at Ihururu Stadium on Sunday during a football tournament between Marafiki FC and Rware FC said he was only protecting votes from being stolen but was not on a rigging mission.

“There are people who are pushing for my resignation but they should understand that we don’t want to rig election but to protect our votes. We are in Jubilee and Jubilee is in Azimio,” said Mr Mucheru.

The CS urged locals to turn out in large numbers to vote for Raila and Azimio candidates. Dr Ruto’s team has been crying foul over Mr Mucheru and other CS’ involvement in Raila’s campaigns and have demanded that the public officers remain neutral or resign in fairness.

After a protest letter to IEBC, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi who accompanied Ruto in Mt Kenya and Rift Valley regions last week delved into the rigging claim and said they were well prepared to thwart any attempts of vote-stealing.

“We will have agents in every polling station to ensure our votes are protected,” said Mr Mudavadi.

Mr Mucheru dismissed the claims that campaigning for Raila amounts to rigging and reminded Ruto that he (Mucheru) supported and campaigned for the duo in 2017 but the DP’s camp did not ask him to resign.

“In 2017, we were campaigning together. Why is it now different yet in 2017 it was okay?” the CS asked.

The CS was accompanied by Nyeri Senator Ephraim Maina, Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu and former Woman Rep Priscilla Nyokabi who drummed up support for Raila’s Presidential bid.

They later presented Sh1 million cheque to Marafiki FC donated jointly by the Media Council of Kenya and the Ministry of ICT, to support sports.