Kibicho: Intelligence data shows Raila will beat Ruto in round one
Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho now says Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga is headed for a landslide victory in the August General Election.
Speaking on Citizen TV's News Night show on Tuesday, the PS, who has openly endorsed Raila's bid, opined that there will be no runoff in August as the former prime minister would beat his main challenger, William Ruto, in round one.
Kibicho claimed that intelligence data at his disposal shows that the ODM party leader will get at least 60 per cent of the vote in August, despite opinion polls indicating the two are presently tied in a dead heat.
Kibicho reiterates Mucheru's revelation
The PS was reacting to a recent declaration by ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru that Ruto doesn't stand a chance in the forthcoming polls.
“We don’t speak from emotions. We speak from facts. If you asked me, for example, what the data is saying today, and because I am entitled to my answer as a public servant, I will give it to you as it is," the PS said while defending the minister who has attracted criticism from Ruto's Kenya Kwanza camp for endorsing Raila.
“You were told here by CS Mucheru. That’s what the intelligence data says. A 60 per cent win in the first round. There is a difference between rumours and facts. Noisemakers use even photoshop. For us, we don’t deal with those perceptions.
“If the data you have given me is misleading then come up with another and indicate where you have received it. You cannot criminalize someone for giving you the information you asked for."
Raila is President Uhuru Kenyatta's preferred successor in the State House race.
While responding to the attacks from the DP's stalwarts, Kibicho downplayed claims that some senior servants had taken a central role in the August succession politics.
"The law is clear that as civil servants we have the responsibility of giving civic education to our people, how people interpret civic education to be politics is what I do not understand," he said.
"There's a big difference between campaigning & civic education. We are called upon to give civic education to all Kenyans regardless of the political divided, I challenge Kenya Kwanza to invite us tomorrow. You don’t go to a place you've not been invited."
In March 2022, Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party wrote to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) demanding the resignation of Mucheru for allegedly engaging in partisan politics.
UDA Secretary-General Veronica Maina expressed concerns that Mucheru could use his critical docket to influence the outcome of the August 9 elections.
She asked the Commission to take action and guarantee a credible poll.
“In light of the foregoing, we write this protest letter to bring to your attention as the body mandated to conduct elections the remarks by the Cabinet Secretary for ICT and request that you look into the matter and guarantee all parties and Kenyans free and fair elections come August this year,” Maina protested.
“Certainly, nothing stops the Cabinetry secretary for ICT from resigning in furtherance of his political rights to support a candidate of his choice and allow other able Kenyans to perform his responsibilities as Cabinet secretary in accordance with the requirements of the law."
