Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has told Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to deploy the same energy he used to tackle banditry in the North Rift to deal with goons.
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Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has asked Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to launch a crackdown on political goons.
Prof Kindiki told Murkomen to deploy the same energy he used to tackle banditry in the North Rift to deal with goons, who were being used by politicians in the broad-based coalition and the opposition to instil fear and disrupt political rallies.
This comes a day after goons torched a vehicle belonging to Siaya Governor James Orengo during Linda Mwananchi rally in Migori on Saturday.
“We do not allow our country to be controlled by goons,” Kindiki said during a church service and fundraiser in Kipsamoo, Kapseret constituency, Uasin Gishu County.
Kindiki told the Interior CS not to spare political leaders allied to the government who hire goons to disrupt rallies and intimidate their rivals.
“Murkomen, the ball is on your court. You should deal with them (goons) the same way you defeated bandits. Bandits were more ruthless compared to goons and you should be able to deal with them effectively,” Kindiki said.
“Deal with goons serving leaders across the political divide. People should not hide in the government to unleash terror,” he added.
The CS who had recently questioned why political leaders continued attending rallies despite receiving intelligence reports of possible disruptions by goons, promised to deal with goonism with finality.
“We want to deal with this issue of goonism with finality. This kind of behaviour must stop,” Murkomen said.
He warned political leaders against interference with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), saying such risks plunging the country into an electoral crisis and chaos.
“We have seen politicians trying to interfere with IEBC operations. They want to be contractors and at the same time candidates in the upcoming elections and election referee. They should stick to their responsibility as political leaders,” said Murkomen.
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The CS hit out at opposition leaders, claiming that they lacked credible agenda to sell to Kenyan voters and had resorted to attacking the IEBC.
Kindiki challenged the opposition to offer alternative policies instead of criticizing the government.
“Stop attacking the IEBC. We, as the government, want it to be impartial and conduct a free, fair and verifiable election,” Kindiki said.
“Negative ethnicity and slogans will not help you. You have to look for an agenda in health, infrastructure and job creation. We are ready to face Kenyans and explain to Kenyans what we have done in the last four years. They should also tell us their development records,” he added.
Kindiki was accompanied by Rift Valley leaders, including Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, William Kamket (Tiaty), Reuben Kiborek (Mogotio) and Senator Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu), among others. He was also joined by Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii, his Narok counterpart Patrick Ole Ntutu and Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli.
Sudi and Kamket said Kindiki will succeed President William Ruto in 2032.
The Kapseret MP disclosed a plan to have Kindiki’s running mate come from Western Kenya and for a powerful Prime Minister’s position to be created, with the officeholder coming from the Nyanza region.
“We will support Kindiki with a Luhya DP and Luo Prime Minister in 2032,” Sudi said.
