- Mucheru said his office has small budget to be blamed of campaigns compared to that of DP Ruto
- He defended his political position asking why didn’t Ruto camp raise concerns in 2017 when all ministers supported them
- Mucheru, clarified earlier statements that there is no way anyone can influence IEBC results since it’s an independent body
Information, communication and technology Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheri has faulted Deputy President William Ruto’s team after they castigated him of endorsing Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga
Ruto’s team on Thursday, 5th May, said that, Mucheru made an unfortunate remarks that he is supporting Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition presidential hopeful Raila Odinga
“We have noted a tendency by senior government officials purporting to assume the roles and positions intended to influence the outcome of the August 2022 general election,” UDA’s Director General of the campaign Governor Josphat Nanok said.
On a swift response, Mucheru on Friday 06th May, asked Ruto why didn’t he raise similar concerns in 2017 when he too supported them together with President Uhuru Kenyatta
“Why is he perturbed when we show our political interests, in 2017,we campaigned for both him and our boss President Uhuru Kenyatta and he didn’t question any Cabinet Secretary who campaigned for them,” Mucheru wondered
Mucheru, who is perceived to be one of the ICT guru and a technocrat, who was hired from Google global company, has send fears to UDA camp by stating categorically that he will work close with IEBC monitoring the general election come August 9th, 2022
The CS was speaking in Nairobi where Raila Odinga met with leaders from Nyeri County on Wednesday. The leaders were expected to put up serious campaign in a bid to counter DP Ruto’s popularity in the Mt. Kenya region.
CS Mucheru and Health CS Mutahi Kagwe were in attendance in that meeting.
“Some of us are there to ensure we have free fair elections making sure systems and everything are working and obviously we are working closely with Baba to ensure that this is the case and we’ve been looking and seeing the information we are on the right track we are on the right path
Baba tuko pamoja (Baba we are together) and we are following you, you have given us assignment, hiyo yote tunafanya (we are doing all that) and even if it is not visible to all of you si mnajua… (you all know) we are not sleeping,” said Mucheru
But, clarifying the statements he made at Nairobi on Wednesday, the ICT CS, made his points straight, that IEBC is an independent institution and there is no way that cabinet secretaries can influence the outcome of August polls.
He further said that his office is small and has small budget, to be claimed of committing public resources and declaring state support for the Azimio la Umoja, compared to that of Deputy President William Ruto, who has been spending taxpayer’s money in his intensive campaign