Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has dismissed claims the government is attempting to interfere with the credibility of the coming General Election through banning live-streaming of results.
The Second-in-Command said the elections will be held as per the requirements of the Constitution and will be free, fair and credible with polling station results announced transparently and live-streaming permitted.
“There are people spreading rumours that the government wants to undermine our democracy, our freedoms and our electoral process. I want to say that, as a government, we cannot allow elections to be undermined or conducted in an environment lacking transparency,” DP stated.
The DP added that the administration was a beneficiary of a credible and transparent process in 2022 and will safeguard the electoral environment for Kenyans to make their leadership choices.
“The election will be free and fair, transparent and democratic. We ourselves are beneficiaries of a democratic, free and fair elections. Voting will take place and by evening, we will count the votes. Whoever wins will lead us, and whoever does not win will wait for another opportunity,” he noted.
Speaking on Monday in Kinangop Constituency, Nyandarua County where he inspected development projects, Prof. Kindiki challenged those vying for various positions to do so without resorting to violence or retrogressive antics that could jeopardize the nation’s peace and stability.
“Politics is not a matter of life and death. The nation is more important than whoever gets elected. The person who wins leads us, while the one who loses waits for another opportunity. We cannot allow ourselves to destabilize the country because of political competition,” DP emphasized.
During the visit, the Deputy President inspected the construction of the 580-bed capacity hostel at the Kenya Medical Training Centre Kinangop Campus which is being constructed at 232 million shillings.
Later, he launched construction of Mwenda andu-Heni-Karati Road in the Constituency. The Road is among 1000km road tarmacking projects in the County at a cost of 46 billion shillings. Some of the other ongoing roads in Kinangop are Njabini-Sasumua, Chole-Matundura and Haraka-Karangatha-Kinamba Roads. The Kwa Waichangai-Kinja-Kitiri-Kitogo Road is also set for commencement.
The DP assured residents that he is doing everything possible to ensure the projects are completed on schedule for the benefit of the residents.
“I want to assure the people of Nyandarua and the people of Kenya that I will not let you down. My responsibility as the President’s assistant is to help push for the completion of all these projects for the development of our country. I will do my best. Those moving around with nothing to offer here cannot outdo me in matters of work,” he said.
Nyandarua County has also benefited from the affordable housing programme with various projects going on including 220 units coming up in Engineer in the constituency. The last-mile electricity connection is also progressing with 1.6 billion shilling allocated to connect an additional 12,500 households. Of this, 400 million shillings has been allocated Kinangop to connect an additional 3,200 households to power.
The DP said they will present a development record for assessment by voters when seeking another term next year.
“When I stand here next year, together with the President, to ask for your votes, I will not embarrass you. We will come here and count the roads, water projects, electricity connections and markets. Then we will ask for you to vote for another term in office,” DP indicated.
The DP was accompanied by Kinangop MP Kwenya Thuku, local leaders among others.