Uhuru defends Fred Matiang'i over poll rigging claims

Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i. Photo: Elvis Ogina, Standard

President Uhuru Kenyatta has accused his main challenger, Raila Odinga, of fighting his cabinet and targeting acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i.

Uhuru appeared angered by a media report quoting the National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate as saying the CS had been harnessed by the Jubilee administration to influence the polls in his (Uhuru's) favour.

As he wound up his Coast tour Wednesday, Uhuru claimed the NASA leader had launched a smear campaign against Dr Matiang'i to "cause confusion" about the August 8 polls.

"Raila should stop fighting Matiang'i whose role is to ensure security in the country. I am the one competing against him, Matiang'i is a junior officer. He should face me. I do not know why he is fighting Matiangi," Uhuru said at a rally in Taveta.

The President and his entourage addressed Jubilee rallies in Taveta, Mwatate and Voi in Taita Taveta County, where he heaped praise on Jubilee Party candidates as well as recent defectors from the Opposition.

Governor candidate

Uhuru paraded Senator Dan Mwazo, who defected from ODM early this year and is now Jubilee's governor candidate, Taveta MP Naomi Shaban, County Woman Representative Joyce Lay and Jubilee's Senate candidate Lydia Haika.

He claimed he had fulfilled all his pledges to the residents of Taita Taveta by building roads and creating employment, and urged them to re-elect him, promising to end their land problems.

Uhuru said he had brought immense progress and curtailed suffering in the region that voted overwhelmingly for Raila in the 2013 polls.

"I have fulfilled all the election promises I made to you when I was looking for votes in 2013. I have built two major roads (Mwatate-Taveta and Voi-Mwatate-Wundanyi). My administration has also addressed the thorny squatter issue by distributing more than 20,000 title deeds to the landless since 2013," he said.

Addressed rallies

Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto addressed rallies at Sowene Primary School in Taveta town, Wundanyi Dawson Mwanyumba Stadium and Mwatate town, and ended their day-long tour of the county with a campaign rally at Voi Stadium accompanied by local leaders.

The President said squatters living in Eldoro, Mrabani, Python Hill and Kimorigo villages would also be issued with title deeds.

The squatters have been occupying land belonging to former Taveta MP Basil Criticos, which had been taken over by the Agricultural Finance Corporation.

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