ICT Cabinet Secretary, Joe Mucheru, has denied the existence of plans to rig the August 9 elections as claimed by Deputy President William Ruto's team.
Mucheru - while addressing the press on Thursday, May 5, hit out at the DP's camp claiming that they were fearful of losing the presidential election.
The CS opined that the letter by Ruto's secretariat dated May 5 was malicious, citing Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) presidential opinion polls launched on the same day that placed the popularity of the Deputy President at 39 per cent against 32 per cent of Raila Odinga.
He stated that despite being a State Officer, it was within his right to support the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition party candidate Raila Odinga.
"I saw the polls have come out today and maybe the numbers are not looking good and people are looking for excuses. I am a minister and I am allowed to endorse a candidate I choose," he stated.
He maintained that his ministry's engagement with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) would not interfere with the credibility of the elections.
"We provide policy and assistance to IEBC. For Networks, they get it from the telecom operators and broadcast from the media. I don't know where this idea is coming from. I will not even respond formally and I do not also expect IEBC to question me," the CS stated.
Mucheru added that IEBC should not sanction him terming the claims by Ruto's team as baseless.
He stated that Ruto should not complain about his campaigns for Raila stating that the DP did not raise concern when he and other cabinet colleagues campaigned for President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017.
"One of my bosses is running and they are saying that I have more capabilities than he does and yet he is the sitting Deputy President. Is it me or him who has more resources? They should focus on themselves and their campaigns.
"In 2017, we were campaigning together. Why is it now that it is seeming different yet in 2017 it was okay? If it is investigating, then they should investigate his office," he stated.
The response by Mucheru comes after Ruto's team asked IEBC to sanction Mucheru over statements he made at Raila's campaign meeting with Nyeri politicians.
