Uhuru on CNN: I have no links with Cambridge Analytica

President Uhuru Kenyatta has come out strongly to deny any ties with the controversial marketing research firm Cambridge Analytica.

His comment contradicts that of Jubilee’s David Murathe last month that Cambridge Analytica was “basically branding and all that” during the 2013 and 2017 General Elections.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with renowned CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour, the President was categorical that he has no knowledge of any engagement with Cambridge Analytica.

“I hear it on your news media….you need to just look at the speeches that we were making across the country and tell me what speech has been written by them,” Uhuru said on the show that was aired on Friday evening.

“99 percent of all the speeches I made during that period were off the cuff and I addressed over 700 political rallies,” President Kenyatta added.

When asked whether he knew Mark Turnbull, the man behind the damning claims, President Kenyatta said an emphatic No.

Ms. Amanpour was inquiring about a recent report which alleged that Cambridge Analytica twice rebranded the Jubilee party, wrote his campaign speeches and conducted surveys of 50,000 Kenyans to ascertain fears and hopes of Kenyan voters.

Senior officials of Cambridge Analytica were exposed in an undercover video admitting to interference with 200 elections around the world including that of Kenya in 2013 and 2017.

The firm’s chief executive has since resigned even as Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg takes the heat from U.S. Congress over the alleged use of his social media firm in the scandal.

Friday’s interview with Amanpour also touched on issues regarding the media shutdown during the controversial swearing in of Opposition leader Raila Odinga and the recent handshake between the two political rivals.

Uhuru also answered questions on justice for victims of the post election violence in 2007/8, rights of the LGBT community, U.S. President Donald Trump’s attitude towards African countries as well as deportation of migrants from Europe and America.

On gay rights, the President said he would not engage on the issue as it is not of major importance to Kenyans.

“This is not an issue of human rights as you would want to put it. This is an issue of society, our own culture as a people irregardless of which community you come from. It is not about Uhuru Kenyatta saying No,” he told Ms. Amanpour.

President Kenyatta had met with the CNN journalist on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London.