President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing Baringo residents. [Photo/PSCU]
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto have cautioned the Judiciary not to aid the opposition to scuttle the election process.
The two leaders said the Courts were increasingly getting entangled in the attempts by the opposition to delay the August 8 election.
The President and his deputy also cautioned the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission not play along with schemes by the opposition to throw the election process in disarray.
They took issue with a recent statement by Chief Justice David Maraga directing theI EBC not to print ballots papers until a case that was in court was decided. The CJ’s statement was quickly followed by a court order asking the IEBC not to proceed with the printing of Presidential ballot papers.
President Kenyatta, who spoke at Kabartonjo, said the orders being issued by the courts appear to be designed to scuttle the election and it was an unacceptable affair.
“You cannot claim independence and use it to interfere with the functioning of the Executive and other arms of Government,” said the President, adding that the outcome of the election will be decided by the people and not the courts.
He said every Kenyan has known that elections would be held on August 8 and it would not be acceptable for the Judiciary to mess up the process. He cited the example of the order on ballot papers coming weeks before August 8 as the latest of the court orders that have issued in favor of the opposition’s attempt to complicate the election and to intimidate the IEBC
“We have respected you for too long but do not take our silence as cowardice. We will not allow our competitors to use the courts to intimidate the IEBC,” said the President.
The Head of State said Kenyans will go to the polls on August 8 whether the opposition is ready or not and despite the constant threats of violence from leading opposition figures.
He assured Kenyans that the elections will be free and fair and that the Government will ensure they take place in a peaceful environment.
The President said the constant allegations by the opposition that the Jubilee Government wants to rig elections were false and were contradicted by facts.
“This is the first government that is serving a term that is less than five years. If we wanted to rig elections we would have started by demanding that we serve five years but we have accepted that because we want democracy to prevail,” said the President.