Leaders in Uasin Gishu have accused security personnel of getting involved in politics.

Governor Jackson Mandago and Soy MP Caleb Kositany, both close allies of Deputy President William Ruto, yesterday claimed some top administrators and security officers in the area have been holding meetings allegedly to coerce locals to vote in certain leaders in the August polls.

“Watu wa serikali wafanye kazi ya serikali na waachie wanasiasa siasa. (Civil servants should do their work and leave politics to politicians),” said Mandago (pictured).

“The people will decide the kind of leaders they want to lead them. Nobody should coerce them to vote in a certain way,” he added.

Kositany vowed that politicians will not be cowed from pointing out malpractices as the country heads to the elections.

“We have come from far as a region and we will not allow anyone to disturb the peace we have been enjoying,” said Kositany who wants to be the Uasin-Gishu governor.

But contacted for comment, Uasin-Gishu County Commissioner Stephen Kihara denied claims that civil servants were getting involved in local politics.

“They should not use civil servants as scapegoats. Personally, I have never in any way involved myself in politics,” Kihara told People Daily on phone.

“We recently met with all the aspirants and we agreed that all aspirants sell their political agenda and the people will make the final decision. I don’t know why these complains are coming up now,” he added.

Peace meetings

He said security personnel in the region have never been politically partisan and have been providing security during public rallies convened by aspirants from across the political divide.

The leaders who spoke in Eldoret threatened to write to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to complain about the activities of the security personnel which they said were a threat to security in the North Rift which was a the hotspot of the 2007/2008 post-election chaos.

At the same time, Mandago asked organisations intending to carry out peace meetings in the area to always seek consent from the county security teams.

He directed that every organisation that undertakes any form of peace event ahead of the 2022 General Election should seek clearance from his administration.

“We will not take any chances. Anyone who holds a meeting of peace should work with either my office or the County Commissioner’s,” he added.

Mandago also called on the residents to accommodate divergent views.
“Let all leaders sell their agenda to you. It will be up to you to make the final decision at the ballot,” said Mandago.