We meet chiefs because they are our colleagues – Matiangi rubbishes Ruto’s rigging claims

Interior CS Fred Matiangi has shed more light on the flurry of meetings that State security officials have been holding with public administrators.

Speaking after Deputy President William Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza allies raised a flag on the ongoing meetings between State functionaries and chiefs across the country, the firebrand CS stated that his purview of work compels him to meet with chiefs more so ahead of the general elections.

“I have seen some politicians warning me against meeting chiefs. If I am not meeting chiefs and commissioners, who am I to meet? We are meeting chiefs because they are our colleagues and they are the people we work with. We meet chiefs all the time. That is our job,” he said.

Ruto claims government is planning to use chiefs to rig polls

Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza brigade have in recent campaign rallies alleged that there are plans by the state to use chiefs and assistant chiefs to manipulate the forthcoming elections.

The presidential hopeful claimed that he was privy to information that public administrators have been instructed to recruit youths to cause violence during the voting day.

The violence, he claimed, was meant to rig the polls in favour of his political nemesis Raila Odinga.

“Mr. President, why are chiefs and other public servants being forced and threatened in secret meetings to undermine, manipulate and sabotage peaceful elections? What will it benefit you to foment conflict amongst innocent Kenyans? Boss, let’s not take the country in this direction,” he said.