The government has expressed concern over the caliber of leaders to be elected in this year’s general elections in light of the increasing role of rogue elements in the poll.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has lamented increasing incidents of money laundering “by ‘wash wash’ criminals, tenderpreneurs and drug pushers” as the country approaches the august poll, terming the said practices as a threat to national security.
Speaking during the opening of a five-day Anglican Church of Kenya Bishops and Clergy conference in Nairobi on Tuesday, the Interior CS raised an alarm over the increasing cases of voter bribery and commercialization of politics terming it a threat to national security.
He asked the electorate to carefully vet those offering themselves for leadership even as he reckoned the threat of perverting parliamentary democracy and county assembly business by having people with questionable integrity is real.
“Corruption and money laundering likely to negatively affect the outcome of elections including putting criminals in elective offices by distorting fair play and issue-based politics,” he said
During the conference that was convened to deliberate the role of the church in elections, Matiang’i said there is a need to address the dangerous link between corruption and election outcomes.
On the issue of insecurity in Marsabit County, Matiang’i said adequate personnel will be deployed to quell clashes that are pitting communities against each other.
He was accompanied by his Communication counterpart Joe Mucheru, Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, and Attorney General Paul Kihara who explained the role their agencies will play before, during, and after the elections.
