No servers to be opened, Ruto tells Raila

President William Ruto. He says the 2022 presidential election was transparent. [David Njaaga, Standard]

President William Ruto on Thursday told off opposition leaders for demanding the opening of election servers to prove that they did not lose the presidential election to him.

Ruto, who spoke at Kanyonyoo in Kitui county while commissioning a modern hospital at the Rural Border Police Patrol College said that the August presidential election was transparent.

"The servers were opened when we went to the polls, when the votes were being counted and when the final tally was being announced and even when we went to the court," said Ruto while chiding the opposition leaders who have claimed that he stole their victory.

The president said there was nothing to hide about the last election and accused the opposition team led by the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga of engaging in a charade to fool Kenyans.

"To now turn around and demand that the servers be opened at this time is to take us for granted and to believe that we are fools. The servers have always been open," said Dr Ruto

The president maintained his stance that his administration will not use police to manage politics in the country in the wake of heightened calls for public rallies by the opposition leaders.

He said there are enough lobby groups and other entities to help him in managing the mounting political heat.

"We want the police to remain disciplined and do their work. We do not need them to assist us with politics," he said, during the event also attended by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki.

On the newly commissioned hospital, the Head of State, who was received by Kitui governor Julius Malombe said the 160-bed-capacity facility will play a critical role for the members of the National Police Service in ensuring that both their physical and mental health is well taken care of.

Ruto commended police officers for pooling resources together by contributing Sh50 each to put up the Sh100 million hospital, which has now opened its doors.

"This goes to show what little contributions pooled together can do. I want to ask my critics to come and see what Sh50 has done, then they might want to review their thinking," Ruto said clearly taking a dig at the opposition leaders who have rubbished his Hustler Fund loaning initiative.

Apart from giving routine healthcare services to officers and their families, the Level IV facility will also offer specialized care for officers injured in the line of duty.

Services to be offered include outpatient, mental health and rehabilitative services, maternity, dental health, surgery and body preservation.

Ruto called on the college's administration to work closely with the Ministry of Health and ensure that the health facility hires specialist medics.

"This will ensure that the officers have high standards of professionalism and discipline as they discharge their duties," said Ruto.

The President announced that Sh20 billion had been set aside to improve both land and air facilities for the police to enable them to maintain security, law and order.

He added that part of this money will go towards the completion of an airstrip at the Kanyonyo police campus.