President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have been put on the spot after it was discovered they are using State resources as a secret campaign weapon to overpower the Opposition as they seek re-election.
At the centre of the ongoing controversy is the use of Cabinet Secretaries and civil servants to campaign for the Jubilee Party.
Cabinet Secretaries Eugene Wamalwa (Water) and Najib Balala (Tourism) featured prominently in Jubilee’s Tononoka rally on Sunday.
Their counterparts, Mwangi Kiunjuri (Devolution), Dr. Fred Matiang’i (Education)and Charles Keter (Energy) were also promoting the Jubilee agenda in Kisii over the weekend, where they defended the president’s recent outbursts.
According to Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Chairman John Mbadi Kenyatta and Ruto are violating the Constitution.
“The use of civil servants in the campaigns is a clear sign he [Uhuru] does not respect the rule of law,” lamented Mbadi, who is also the MP for Suba Constituency.
Section 43 (1) of the Elections Act prohibits any public servant from engaging in the activities of any political party or act as an agent of a political party.
The law further outlines that the public servant should not indicate support for or opposition against any party, side or candidate participating in an election.
The Jubilee Party has reportedly enlisted help from the civil servants and other public officials in areas categorised as swing votes.
Some of these areas include Garissa , Kajiado, Kisii, Mandera, Marsabit, Nairobi, Narok, Nyamira, Samburu, Trans Nzoia, Turkana and Wajir.
JP is also said to be using County commissioners their deputies, chiefs and their assistants to provide intelligence that could be vital in the campaigns.
According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, “Government resources should never be used for political campaigns.”
The Star reports that this use of civil servants and Cabinet Secretaries is classified as a two-pronged approach for the Jubilee party to persuade voters. The other strategy is the parading of defectors from other parties, especially from the opposition.
