Opposition chief Raila Odinga is accusing the ruling party Jubilee of politicizing the military claiming that Uhuru has deployed over 100 KDF soldiers in Kakamega.
Raila claimed that the president’s intention in deploying the soldiers is to help rig the general election.
Raila said that his party is not driving a wedge into their relationship with the military but asking them to be neutral.
“KDF soldiers are being trained for recruitment as polling and presiding officers to help rig the election,” he told a press conference in Nairobi.
Raila claimed that several officers are being hosted in Kakamega at the former provincial HQ, and that they’re being prepared to become returning officers [ROs].
The opposition leader went ahead to claim the soldiers are training civilians in a similar way to what allegedly went on at the same location before the 2007 general election. Reports The Star.
“We are challenging the national government and leaders of security forces to explain why military officers are training civilians,” he said.
Raila also cited the ongoing training of officers saying “a training of KDF officers on crowd control is going on at Embakasi military barracks.”
The government is training officers on preventing chaos during and after the polls. The training involves officers from Kenya Defence Forces, all units of the National Police Service, KWS, NYS, National Intelligence Service, Kenya Forestry Service and Kenya Prisons.
Raila said Kenya needs good governance and peace, looking at 2007 post-elections violence that left many dead and thousands homeless.
”It is upon us [to prevent] a repeat of what happened in 2007. That is why we are pointing this out,” he said.
Raila noted Kenya needs good leadership and peace considering the violence that took place after the disputed 2007 election.