Chiefs' only duties are ID replacement, tracing lost wives -Gachagua

Kenya Kwanza deputy presidential candidate Rigathi Gachagua has cautioned the Jubilee administration against the use of chiefs in election campaigns, explaining that the only role of chiefs - according to him - is to replace lost national identity cards and tracing lost wives.

While addressing a Kenya Kwanza rally in Kitengela, Gachagua alleged that state machinery has been deployed, including chiefs who have abandoned their primary duties of ‘replacing IDs and tracing lost wives’ to support Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga.

“Chiefs should not be used to tell Kenyans who to vote for in elections. Wewe chief, kama unataka kuambia mtu pahali atapiga kura, kwenda ambia bibi yako. Chief kazi yako ni kutengeneza mambo ya mpaka, kuandika barua ya kitambulisho na kama bibi ya mtu ametoroka, mtafutie huyo bibi umrudishie. Si hiyo ndiyo kazi ya chief?

Mathira MP and Kenya Kwanza presidential running mate Rigathi Gachagua Pulse Live Kenya

"(If you are a chief and want to instruct anyone who to vote for, please go direct your wife. As a chief, your duties are handling land disputes, assisting Kenyans who have lost their IDs by stamping letters and tracing lost wives. Are those not the responsibilities assigned to a chief?)," Gachagua stated.

The Mathira lawmaker alleged that the government is now using police officers to settle political scores, revisiting the Thursday incident at JKIA in which three Venezuelans found in possession of election materials were arrested and detained.

Gachagua also declared himself the winner of the deputy presidential debate held on Tuesday, July 19, claiming that he outdid Martha Karua and he is best suited to serve as Kenya’s second deputy president under the new Constitution.

“The other day, I debated against Martha Karua. Tulimnyorosha, hatukumnyorosha (Didn’t we defeat her?)” Gachagua added.

READ: 34 million Kenyans watched deputy presidential debates - Media Council