Nairobi — The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has written a complaint letter to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) over remarks made by Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho who claimed an intelligence report had projected a victory by Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga.
Kibicho, a fierce opponent of Deputy President William Ruto who is the UDA's presidential candidate, claimed President Uhuru Kenyatta's preferred successor would win the election garnering 60 per cent of the vote.
In the complaints filed by Mutuma Gichuru and Associates Advocates, the Ruto-led party sought to understand whether Kibicho's remarks were based on NIS data arguing that such reckless use of intelligence reports may jeopardize the August 9 presidential election.
"Whether the public utterances by The Principal Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government to the effect that the Azimio candidate would purportedly secure a first round win in the August 2022 elections with 60 per cent of the votes, are premised on official NIS Reports on polling information," the letter read in part.
UDA further sought a clarification by the NIS Director General on whether he authorized and, or allowed the release of NIS reports or polling information for the subsequent use by Kibicho to advance the interests and cause of the Azimio Party and to undermine the confidence of Kenyans in the fairness of the presidential election.
"What remedial measures were taken by the National Intelligence Service in light of the outright breach and abuse of its core mandate given the risk posed by the reckless use of intelligence information to the peace and security of the nation?" Gichuru posed.
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UDA further threatened legal action if the NIS Director General failed to respond by giving an explanation to the concerns raised and that it could file a motion to have the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji investigate and charge the people involved in the intelligence leakage, or misuse of the same for propaganda.
"Unless the Board or the Office of the Director General of NIS provides a reasoned and acceptable finding or explanation to the complaint herein within 14 days of this letter, the Complainant shall pursue further legal action to safeguard a peaceful electoral process that now stands compromised by the unlawful, unconstitutional and reckless use of intelligence information by the Principal Secretary for Interior to further the interests of a political party."
Kibicho spoke during an interview on a local TV station a day before the Madaraka Day Celebrations on June 1 where he stated that intelligence showed that Odinga would win the State House race by a margin of 60 per cent.
His remarks ruffled UDA's feathers prompting the party to seek an explanation for the NIS.
The latest threat comes days after the party wrote to DPP Noordin Haji seeking prosecution of six Cabinet Secretaries and Kibicho for engaging in active succession politics contrary to the law.
