Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

The government has reiterated that chiefs and their assistants are not being used to manipulate the forthcoming General election.

Government spokesman Cyrus Oguna termed as baseless claims that the administrators were biased.

Oguna denied claims that the State officers were being used to engage in clandestine poll activities.’’ The chiefs, he clarified, were only coordinating and providing security.

“The State has been meeting the chiefs to discuss how to ensure peace and security during the polls,’’ he said.

He was addressing the press at the Nyanza regional commissioner’s boardroom on election preparedness.

Oguna re-assured Kenyans that all-round preparations were complete and that the elections would be peaceful.

“There is no cause for alarm, things are trending well in IEBC, security and observer missions,’’ he said.

Oguna was concerned that a section of the political divide were out to cause division by making “toxic statements”.

The State agencies, he said, were on the look-out for such politicians whose intentions border on ethnic profiling.

“We have noticed that there are some politicians who are out to spew hatred and cause divisions,’’ he asserted.

High alert

With barely a day to the General Election, the spokesman disclosed that security agencies were highly alert and that all preparations were complete.

“As Government, we wish to assure the public that we are committed to free and fair elections,” he added.

He asked Kenyans to come out in large numbers to vote, while stressing on the need to elect leaders with integrity.

Similarly, Oguna told voters not to be hoodwinked by politicians through falsehoods and bribes.

“We must be careful to judge aspirants by their track record of honesty, integrity and dedication to serve the public. Let us not be swayed by some antics that have become the mainstay of our politics,” he said.

Nyanza Regional Commissioner Magu Mutindika said they had deployed police officers to all major borders of the region — Isebania and Kisumu/Kericho/Nandi.

Security patrols have also been intensified, he said.