Raila Is Lying To You- IEBC

UPDATE 3.49 PM: The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has accused Azimio la Umoja party leader, Raila Odinga, of misleading Kenyans by calling for the resignation of chairperson Wafula Chebukati ahead of the Kakamega and Mombasa by-elections.

IEBC in its statement reiterated that the polls will be overseen by Returning Officers and not Chebukati. It noted that the gubernatorial elections are run by the officers who were already gazetted before the polls were suspended twice.

"The Commission wishes to inform the public that the statements made today by Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga with regard to the role of the Chairman in the two Gubernatorial elections scheduled for Monday, August 29, 2022, are misleading," its statement read in part.

"Gubernatorial elections are run by gazetted Returning Officers as provided for by the law. For avoidance of doubt, Returning Officers for Mombasa and Kakamega counties are Ibrahim Swalhah Yusuf and Joseph Ayatta, respectively," the commission added.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has demanded that the Independent Election and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, Wafula Chebukati should step down from the Kakamega and Mombasa by-elections.

Speaking during a meeting in Mombasa on Wednesday, August 24, Raila urged Chebukati's deputy, Juliana Cherera, to take his place in the by-elections.

He added that Chebukati deserves to be removed from the office out of the accusations levelled against him.

"We have said that the Mombasa and Kakamega elections will be conducted under IEBC vice-chair, Juliana Cherera. Chebukati as an accused person in our petition should disqualify himself," he said.

Raila also blamed the suspension of the polls in the two counties on Chebukati, insinuating that he colluded with his opponents to have the polls postponed.

He offered hope to his supporters that his legal team would prove to the Supreme Court of Kenya that there was enough evidence to prove that there was electoral malpractice in the August 9 elections. 

He urged the court to declare that he won the election instead of ordering a fresh one so that he can assume the State House office.

"We want the court to declare that we have won and instead of voting again announce us as the winners so that we can take the oath of office," he stated.

Raila was accompanied by his running mate Martha Karua and Lang'ata Member of Parliament elect Phelix Odiwuor alias Jalang'o.

He drummed up support for the Azimio coalition ahead of the gubernatorial elections on Monday, August 29.

The decision to host the elections on that day by the IEBC was arrived at following a meeting between the affected candidates of the counties and Chebukati, alongside all seven commissioners, including the four 'breakaway' commissioners.

Chebukati, in a statement dated Wednesday, August 17, noted that the areas that were to be affected by the previous postponement include the two counties, MPs elections in Kitui, Kacheliba, Pokot South, and Rongai in Nakuru.

MCAs elections in Nyaki West and Kwa Njenga wards in Imenti and Embakasi South were also to be affected.