The chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Wafula Chebukati, has revealed the hidden cause of wrangles that saw four commissioners evade the announcement of Presidential results.
Commission’s Vice Chair Juliana Cherera and Commissioners Francis Wanderi, Justus Nyang’ayaNyang’aya, and Irene Masit accused Chebukati of conducting an ‘opaque process’.
A move Chebukati says, was a plot by the four dissenting commissioners to disown the outcome of the results in order to lead to a run-off in the Election.
“They demanded that the Chairperson moderates the results to force an election re-run contrary to their oath of office, this is tantamount to subverting the Constitution and the sovereign will of the People of Kenya,” said Chebukati.
The commission’s chair announced the presidential results on August 15, revealing the President-elect winner as William Ruto.
The results were rejected by the Azimio party led by their presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, who termed Chebukati’s declaration as null and void.
According to the four commisioners, the result transmission phase was shrouded in secrecy, with the results exceeding the 100 percent mark.
However, Chebukati responded to the claims assuring Kenyans not to heed the allegations that were false and misleading.
“We urge Kenyans to interact with these results and make an objective judgment,” Chebukati said.
He assured Kenyans that the election process was free and fair and the most transparent the Commission has ever held.
In his view, the commission’s difference in ideologies is based on his refusal to tender to the demands of the four that he deemed “unconstitutional and illegal demands”.
In conclusion, Chebukati advised that if by Monday, the Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate shall have filed a petition challenging the results, IEBC would be ready with a response as a commission.
Chebukati said he was ready to prove the petitioners of the results wrong as he was confident in the transparency of the August 9 General Election.
