State warns NASA on anti-poll remarks

Government Spokesman Eric Kiraithe

The Government has warned the Opposition against making statements that could undermine peaceful elections.

Government Spokesman Eric Kiraithe said utterances by Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama and other Opposition politicians threatening to disrupt elections if the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) did not withdraw an appeal it filed in court were untenable.

"These threats are a blatant attempt to interfere with a judicial process and to influence the conduct of our courts, contradicting the Opposition's rhetoric about the necessity and merits of an independent Judiciary," Mr Kiraithe said during a press briefing in Nairobi Wednesday.

He said the Government was ready to counter any attempts to disrupt elections on August 8.

Legitimate ability

"We note that Senator Muthama and his colleagues do not have any legitimate ability to stop the election. They can only do this by inciting their supporters to use violence to disrupt the process," said Kiraithe.

According to IEBC, the High Court, which recently ruled that presidential election results at the constituency level announced by returning officers should be considered final, erred in issuing that verdict and wants it set aside in their appeal filed on April 21.

The appeal by IEBC sparked immediate reaction from the Opposition, which has asked the electoral agency to withdraw it.

"Coming only three months to the General Election, these threats bear the risk of slowing down IEBC's momentum as the commission prepares to conduct a free, fair and credible election," said Kiraithe.

He said that while disputes were normal in any political contest, it was necessary for all to bind themselves to accepting arbitration and resolution through the institutions that all parties have participated in setting up.