Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has denied claims that he publicly criticized Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku.
In a statement on Monday, May 12, Kindiki dismissed the allegations as a deliberate misrepresentation of his remarks, saying the comments were aimed at a former Cabinet Secretary from the same region.
“Seen a desperate, mischievous and utterly malicious twist insinuating that I lectured and disrespected my neighbour CS Geoffrey Ruku, my friend for years. Falsehood is cheap.
"My remark being discussed referred to a former Cabinet Secretary from the same area and other ex-leaders who manifested similar conduct, to affirm that governments worldwide operate on the principle of collective responsibility," he wrote on Facebook.
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Kindiki further emphasized the principle of unity within government, noting that those in leadership should use their positions to serve the people rather than sabotage the government from within.
“If you are in government, you are bound by government policy, decisions and actions. If you are in government and you want it to do something for the people, you use your position in the same to influence the desired action.
"Pretending to be 'clever' by undermining a government that you are a senior part of is illegal and anti-people. It is for the opposition to oppose, criticize and correct the government,” he added.
However, according to videos seen by Nairobileo.co.ke, Kindiki appeared to have been lecturing Ruku.
While speaking in Mbeere North on Saturday, May 10, Ruku asked Kindiki to push for the tarmacking of a certain road project in Mbeere North.
The CS noted that elders in the area had made a request to him for the project to be done within a year.
"Your Excellency, the elders are also requesting that the Gekuyati–Momenje–Kerir–Ishiara road be considered for tarmacking this year," the CS stated.
In response, Kindiki reprimanded Ruku for complaining about government projects, noting that the CS was no longer a member of parliament.
Kindiki urged Ruku to use his role as CS and connections in the Cabinet to push for development projects in Embu County.
“You are no longer a Member of Parliament, you are a Cabinet Secretary. That matter you told me, we are going to push it together. You are not an MP to say ‘oh, the government..., the government is you.’ We sit with you in the Cabinet, which is the highest decision-making body in the country, and the Chairman is the President, and his right-hand man is me.
"You cannot be a Cabinet Secretary and, instead of helping the public understand what the government has accomplished and help the people where projects have stalled to ensure they get what they need, you come here to cry, incite, and complain. That is unacceptable. If you’re here to complain, you're out. If you’ve failed to represent the people, you're out. But if you're ready to stand up for the people of Mbeere and push for development, then you're in," he said.
Here is the video;
