Ledama Olekina: How Bomas Chaos Cost Me Presidential Award
Olekina had been approached by the Joint Secretariat Honors Committee and informed of his nomination
Marvin Chege 
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has sensationally claimed that he was dropped from the list of Kenyans that were to receive state honours during the 59th Jamhuri Day celebrations following his role in the Bomas of Kenya chaos before the August 9 presidential election results were announced.
Speaking to Citizen TV on Tuesday, December 13, Ledama alleged that the Kenya Kwanza coalition led by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula had called for his name to be withdrawn, accusing them of "being so petty."
Olekina had been approached by the Joint Secretariat Honors Committee and informed of his nomination but a petition was filed seeking to stop the nomination from sailing through.
"I was involved in the process, I was called and told that I have been nominated, to share my information and everything. The Joint Secretariat on Conferment of Honors should have written back to me and said there has been a petition that has been raised on your matter, you should come and defend yourself.
"I was nominated to receive honours of the Chief of the Burning Spear because of my work and my position in Parliament by the Joint Secretariat. But because of the incident at the Bomas of Kenya, a petition was engineered and I was removed from the Kenya Kwanza team led by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula who sat there and said that I caused mayhem so I should not be honoured," he claimed.
Olekina believed that his conduct on Monday, August 15 should not have been suitable enough to deny him a presidential honour, giving an example of President William Ruto and other Kenyans who have been feted while having pending cases in court.
"It then beats the question, other people have been taken to Hague like the President and he is an (EHG) Elder of the Golden Heart and (CGH) Chief of the Golden Heart," he said.
"And in 2007 Ruto was asking the same question I am asking now bet because of being petty and letting power get into your head you know say that you will not honour him for the work."
He believed that he deserved the award, saying that everyone else who had sat into his position as the deputy Minority Whip in the Senate has been honoured with the same.
Ledama affirmed that he was not responsible for any violence caused at Bomas when Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, Wafula Chebukati was about to announce the results.
During an NTV expose on Monday, December 12, Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni alleged a plot to bomb the Bomas of Kenya, which was the National Tallying Centre at the time, adding that some unknown individuals had believed that Chebukati should be arrested for his role in the elections whereby Azimio la Umoja coalition leader Raila Odinga lost for the fifth consecutive time.
"People were saying 'why didn't you allow Chebukati to announce these things at Bomas? Why didn't you bomb it? Why didn't you arrest him?' and you can do all those things but who tells you after that you have a country?" he posed.
Ledama was left out of the state honours alongside Senate Deputy Majority leader Tabitha Keroche who was nominated for a Moran of the Golden Heart (MGH) medal, Senate Minority leader Stewart Madzayo (Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart, EGH) and Deputy Senate Majority Whip Lelelgwe Ltumbesi (Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear, CBS), despite their names appearing on the parliamentary list. National Assembly Clerk Samuel Njoroge was also nominated for a Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS).
President Ruto feted 483 Kenyans with State Honours at State House, Nairobi, for their outstanding service to the nation in different capacities. Among the awardees included Chebukati and commissioners Boya Molu as well as Abdi Guliye and Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein Marjan. Chebukati, Molu and Guliye are set to leave office in January 2023.
Notably, the four commissioners currently under investigation by a tribunal; Juliana Cherera (Vice Chairperson), Irene Masit, Justus Nyangaya and Francis Wanderi were left out.
IEBC chair, Wafula Chebukati with President William Ruto at State House on December 12, 2022. /TWITTER
