President Uhuru Kenyatta told off the opposition on Thursday over their threats and demands to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
He said the opposition was constantly creating distractions and sideshows instead of preparing for the elections.
The President, who spoke in the company of Deputy President William Ruto, while on a voter sensitisation tour of Nairobi County, said opposition chiefs led by Raila Odinga have formed a habit of just sitting at press conferences and making outlandish claims instead of making serious efforts to sell their agenda to Kenyans.
The President’s message was reinforced by Deputy President Ruto, who said the opposition was crying foul because they were in a state of disorganisation and were preparing supporters for certain loss.
The President and his Deputy were reacting to the latest threats against the IEBC from the opposition including demands on the composition of electoral clerks.
“Let them stop their constant threats and let us all sell our policies to the people and appeal for their votes,” said the President.
The Deputy President said the demands from the opposition are never ending and give the impression “that they want to work for the IEBC,”.
He said Jubilee has allowed many of the previous requests the opposition has made regarding the IEBC including the removal of the former commissioners.
“We are determined to have a free and fair election. We did not even oppose the appointment of a former ODM Life member as chair of the electoral commission,” said Ruto.
He called on the opposition to focus on campaigns and stop making untenable demands.
“Let the opposition not panic, if they are afraid of an election in 2017 they should concede and wait for 2022,”
President Kenyatta also said it was absurd for the opposition to make insinuations of elections in counties which he had visited during his first round of voter sensitisation tour.
“I have travelled to areas as far as Garissa, Marsabit and Maralal to urge Kenyans to register as voter. Now some people are claiming that the regions I visited are leading in voter registration and there must be rigging. Give us a break!” said the President.
“People are getting out to register because we are talking to them, telling them about the importance of the exercise,” the President added.
Last month President Kenyatta made an extensive tour 13 counties where he mobilised people to register in large numbers. The counties the President visited included Kirinyaga, Meru, Laikipia, Samburu, Isiolo, Garissa, Muranga, Nyeri Marsabit, Tharaka Nithi, Kitui, Kiambu and Embu.
By PSCU.