Updated: Kimemia, Gichangi and Karangi Complicit in General Election Manipulation

See updated letter from IEBC to Head of Public Service:

RE: CONCERNS ABOUT SCHEMES BY KEY PERSONALITIES IN GOVERNMENT TO MANIPULATE THE PROCESS AND OUTCOME OF THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS

We, at the Raila Odinga Campaign Secretariat, wish to alert the Kenyan public to these urgent concerns which, if not addressed immediately, would grossly comprise the integrity and credibility of the forthcoming general elections:

1. The active involvement of the Head of Public Service Mr. Francis Kimemia, NSIS Director General Michael Gichangi, and Chief of Defence Forces Julius Karangi in partisan activities aimed at influencing the elections in favour of the one of the presidential candidates and/or against one candidate. We have irrefutable evidence of Mr. Kimemia’s involvement in partisan campaigns including instructions to District Commissioners, the so-called County Commissioners and Provincial Commissioners to canvass votes and develop and implement electoral fraud strategies for a presidential candidate while suppressing voter turn-out against another candidate. He has also recently met six permanent secretaries in Elementaita and instructed them in a similar fashion. Regular meetings have been held in Mr. Kimemia’s office at Harambee House to further this enterprise, the details of which are available. Mr. Gichangi on his part has been part of various strategy meetings held at various places including at Pizza Garden, Nairobi (on 20th December 2012) and Outspan Hotel in Nyeri on 15th December 2012 with the same aim. One of the most recent activities were meetings held on 7th February 2013 at Gen. Karangi’s office at the Department of Defence headquarters.
2.  The move by the Office of the President and the Public Service Commission to recruit top government officials, including the Principal Secretaries and Ambassadors and High Commissioners for the next administration ahead of the elections.
3. The appointment of the Deputies Inspector General of Police and Director of Criminal Investigation without following the law and in total disregard to objections raised by such oversight bodies as the Independence Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the general public.

These and other acts of omission and commission that we have raised with the IEBC make us apprehensive as to whether the elections are cushioned from undue interference and manipulation.

We caution civil servants – including chiefs, assistant chiefs and our security personnel – not to allow themselves to be sucked into the electoral process as they will be held responsible individually for their actions.

Eliud Owalo
Head of Raila Odinga Secretariat 

UPDATE

• Mr. Francis Kimemia, CBS
  Permanent Secretary,
  Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of Public Service
  Office of the President, Harambee House
  P.o box 62345-00200
  Nairobi.
  
  Mr. Itea Aringo, CBS
  Permanent Secretary
  Provincial, Administration and internal Security
  Office of the President, Harambee House
  P.o box 62345-00200
  Nairobi.
  
  Mr. Kennedy Kihara, EBS
  Secretary
  Liaison, Parliament and Commissions
  Office of the President, Harambee House
  P.o box 62345-00200
  Nairobi.
  
  Mr. Joseph K. Kinyua, CBS
  Permanent Secretary
  Office of Deputy Prime Minister &Ministry of Finance
  Nairobi
  
  Dear Kimemia,
  
  RE: PARTISAN CONDUCT OF TOP PUBLIC SERVANTS
  
  The above subject matter refers.
  
  Please be advised that the Commission is in receipt of formal complaints from the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) alliance of your being partisan in execution of your duties. You have been accused jointly and severally that you have violated the election laws by engaging in electoral activities against provisions of section 43(1) of the Elections Act which states as follows:
  
  43. “(1) A public officer shall not—
  (a) engage in the activities of any political party or candidate or act as an agent of a political party or a candidate in an election;
  (b) publicly indicate support for or opposition against any party, side or candidate participating in an election;
  (c) engage in political campaigns or other political activity; or
  (d) use public resources to initiate new development projects in any constituency or county for purposes of supporting a candidate or political party in that constituency or county.”
  
  You have been accused that:
  
  i. On the January 27th, 2013 at Lake Elementaita Jacaranda Hotel, Mr. Kimemia met the Jubilee Alliance/The National Alliance Presidential Candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William ruto from 22.20hrs to 23.15hrs behind closed doors.
  
  ii. On January 29, 2013 at the Bomas of Kenya, Mr. Kimemia held a meeting with District Commissioners (DCs), County Commissioners (CCs) and provincial Commissioners (PCs). In small meetings within a bigger one and that Mr. Kimemia did appeal to the administrators to assist presidential campaigns of Mr. Kenyatta as they would be sacked if Rt. Hon Raila Odinga were to be elected president.
  
  iii. As facilitation the administrators were promised sums of between ksh 5,000,000 and ksh 15,000,000 each. This meeting was attended by Mr. Itea Iringo and Kennedy Kihara among other senior officials from the office of the President.
  
  iv. On February 9, 2013 in the company of Iringo and Kinyua, Mr. Kimemia met about 68 elders from Muranga, Kiambu, Nakuru, Kericho and Molo at Jacaranda Hotel, Elementaita where support for Mr Kenyatta was reportedly discussed.
  
  v. On February 10, 2013 at the same Jacaranda Hotel, Mr Kimemia met eight PCs and about 20DCs and CCs. The administrators were transported in two hired buses. There were asked to initiate door to door campaign for Mr. Kenyatta and reminded them that they would be jobless if Hon. Odinga were to win Presidential Elections.
  
  vi. There has been partisan activities by DCs, Dos, Chiefs and their assistants and village heads in Kitui, Siaya, Vihiga, Kakamega, Uasin Gishu and Kajiado counties among others.
  
  In respect therefor of the above very serious allegations, the Commission demands that you give us a response within 48 hours. For avoidance of doubt a copy of the complaint is hereby attached.
  
  Yours
  
  AHMED ISSACK HASSAN, EBS
  CHAIRPERSON IEBC
  
  Copy to:
  Hon. Mutula Kilonzo, EGH
  Secretary General
  Wiper Democratic Movement Kenya
  
  Hon. (Prof) P.A Nyongo, EGH
  Secretary-General,
  Orange Democratic Movement
  
  HON. Dr. Esseli Simiyu
  Secretary General,
  Forum for the Restoration of Democracy in Kenya