BY JOSEPH WANGUI
@Josephwangui2
[email protected]
The government has threatened to shut down media houses that will announce election results before the electoral agency. ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru said the responsibility of announcing results solely
lies with the IEBC and warned media houses against doing the contrary. “The media is not IEBC. The Constitution gives IEBC the responsibility to announce results and nobody else. If the media tries to announce results tutafunga (we will shut it down),” said Mr Mucheru at Endarasha Boys’ Secondary School in Kieni, Nyeri County. The CS, however, said the government will not block tallying of votes. “The election will be free, fair and credible. We have allowed tallying at all poll centres but announcing and publishing
results is the work of IEBC,” said Mr Mucheru. The CS further told off politicians dragging security agencies, including the military, into politics. “Security agencies have a responsibility to fulfill,” he said. He highlighted the government’s achievements to the residents while drumming up support for the Jubilee administration.
He mentioned the digital literacy programme which involves distribution of tablets to schools, saying it is 100 per cent operational. He also mentioned free maternity services, free education, Inua Jamii and NHIF medical scheme initiatives. “University graduates will be getting paid internships with the government to get work experience. We must think carefully when voting,” he said Mr Mucheru told residents that the development strides made by Jubilee will be reversed if it loses in the upcoming polls. Kieni MP Kanini Kega, who had accompanied the CS, urged all Cabinet Secretaries to campaign for President Kenyatta’s re-election by highlighting the government’s achievements. He also downplayed a threat by Nasa to boycott the election
over rigging allegations by the Jubilee Government. “They have sensed defeat early and that is why they are
running helter-skelter. “They are involving the military to taint its image but, if Nasa boycotts the poll, other
candidates will participate,” said Mr Kega. He added that President Kenyatta will get more than 70 per cent of the votes due to his administration’s performance.
Tafakari…