The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party has hit out against the Former Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, over claims that Cabinet Secretaries and Permanent Secretaries were campaigning and bribing voters ahead of the Ol Kalou by-election.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In a statement dated July 15, the ruling party dismissed the allegations as baseless, accusing the former DP of peddling fabrications against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). UDA, however, termed the claims reckless, noting that no evidence had been provided to support the accusations against the named state officers.

“ A dramatic list of Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries allegedly campaigning and bribing in OlKalou Constituency has been recklessly referenced, without a particle of evidence,” stated UDA.

“This is a sensational call for the next conspiracy episode. Where it exists, admissible evidence of bribery or undue influence should be addressed through lawful structures, not by a scattergun letter to the IEBC.”

📌 What You Need to Know

Gachagua, in an eight-page letter addressed to IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon on July 14 , named several Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries whom he claimed were interfering in the electoral process.

Those named included Lands CS Alice Wahome, ICT CS William Kabogo, Roads CS Davis Chirchir and Tourism CS Rebecca Miano.

He also listed Principal Secretaries Nixon Korir, Patrick Mariru, Alex Wachira, Joseph Mbugua, Mary Muthoni and Ann Wang'ombe as being part of the alleged scheme in Ol Kalou Constituency. The ruling party further pointed out that Gachagua had raised concerns over past by-elections in Malava, Mbeere North, and Narok Town, questioning his silence on violence linked to his own political allies.

Reference was also made to the case of Member of Parliament for Kipipiri, Wanjiku Muhia, a staunch ally and a foot soldier for the former DP, who UDA says was previously indicted for inciting violence and threatening residents of Ol Kalou with death, accusing Gachagua of double standards for not ever addressing this matter. “The case of Hon. Wanjiku Muhia has been invoked as proof of IEBC bias. It is in the public domain that Hon. Wanjiku Muhia was indicted for inciting violence, intimidation and threatening Ol Kalou residents with death,” stated UDA “Rigathi Gachagua has never condemned the horrible utterances and warlike conduct of his allies, clearly pointing to a mindset that sanctions massacre of innocent people for political advancement.” UDA also faulted Gachagua's reliance on a 2022 High Court ruling, arguing that he had ignored subsequent developments in electoral law from higher courts.

The party maintained that deployment of over 2,000 security officers during elections falls under the mandate of the Inspector General, not political actors, as previously stated by Gachagua.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke