Kenya denies claims of military plot to rig elections

By Andrew Wasike and Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - The Kenyan Defense Ministry on Saturday dismissed claims by Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga that President Uhuru Kenyatta was planning to rig this year’s August 8 general elections by using the military as stated in leaked top secret military documents.

Presidential candidate Raila Odinga had on Friday given reporters in Nairobi the leaked military documents at a press conference that showed that the government had commissioned a team of more than 226 new soldiers to aid in the rigging of the elections and to cut off power and water to informal settlements of Mathare and Kibera (opposition strongholds) on election day.

Making the announcement on Saturday, Defense Minister Raychelle Omamo said that "the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) have no plans whatsoever to rig elections as alleged, and the allegation that the Kenya Defense Forces intend to isolate Kibera and Mathare by disconnecting power and water is false".

Omamo acknowledged that secret military documents had been indeed leaked noting that "it is standard practice by defense forces world over to prepare contingency plans with respect to any foreseeable situation that may negatively prejudice national security".

Odinga had published names and phone contacts of top military commanders tasked with registering telephone lines in the names of dead soldiers in order to "transport ballot papers (extra ones to be used in rigging) to rural areas, code named Special Transit Goods, or STG".

Omamo said that her ministry viewed the public disclosure of the names of officers and their telephone contact as reckless, and that it unnecessarily risked the safety of the officers and their families.

President Kenyatta had on Friday dismissed the leaked military documents as political propaganda meant to tarnish the military.

A few hours after making the statement, the Kenyan military, through its spokesman, Joseph Owuoth, acknowledged the documents were authentic but said they were quoted out of context.

Saturday's dismissal came hours after gunmen attacked the home of Deputy President William Ruto while he was away seriously injuring one security officer.

Kenyans are set to go to the polls on August 8 to vote in a new government.

Poll observers including those from the European Union have warned of possible poll violence. In 2007, over 1,300 people were killed in election violence while over half a million others were internally displaced.