National Security Advisory Council Confirms Meeting Chebukati
NSAC filed its affidavit signed by Kennedy Kihara, Principal Administrative Secretary at the Office of the President, and Joseph Kinyua, Head of Public Service, making it the first time it was joining a presidential petition, in Kenya.
Marvin Chege 
The National Security Advisory Council (NSAC) has confirmed that they met Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, Wafula Chebukati on Monday, August 15, the day the presidential results were announced.
NSAC filed its affidavit signed by Kennedy Kihara, Principal Administrative Secretary at the Office of the President, and Joseph Kinyua, Head of Public Service, making it the first time it was joining a presidential petition, in Kenya.
Kihara stated that the council however went there for security reasons and that he led a delegation that included Kennedy Ogeto, Police Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai, and Francis Ogolla to a meeting with Chebukati and IEBC commissioners at Bomas of Kenya, which was the National Tallying Centre, under orders from the council.
Heavy security at the Bomas of Kenya ahead of the President-elect announcement. /FILE
“The meeting was necessitated by the fact that the NSAC in the discharge of its mandate had become ceased of information to the effect that the delays in declaring the results of the presidential elections and the manner in which results were being transmitted including the stoppage of the public display of results had generated considerable public anxiety and tension and risked creating the opportunity for chaos, violence and insecurity in parts of the country,” Kihara says in his affidavit.
Kihara however denied that the meeting was about persuading Chebukati to manipulate the results of the August 9 elections, adding that it was unclear whether or not he would meet the stated constitutional timelines to announce the results or whether they had encountered any challenges.
This was given that the public display of the presidential results had been halted all of a sudden and there was no communication on the same or regarding the process of tallying and verifying the results.
"I am aware that the law requires the result to be declared within 7 days which in the present case was to lapse on 16 August. The delay in declaring the results of presidential elections while lawful but particularly long,” Kihara added.
On his part, Kinyua said that they tried to reach out to Chebukati as the council but their efforts bore no fruit, thus they had to go to the tallying centre to meet him physically. He only wanted to meet him to discuss security implications surrounding the transmission tallying, verification and declaration of the results of the presidential elections.
"I categorically deny the second respondent’s insinuation that I arranged a meeting between him and members of the NSAC with a view to influencing the outcome of the presidential election held on August 9, 2022, in favour of a particular candidate,” he said.
He added that the NSAC did not play any role in the election process other than providing advice on security issues with regard to the elections and developing strategies on how to keep the country safe during the election period.
Following the feedback, the NSAC team recommended that adequate security be deployed in all potentially affected areas in order to persuade potential losing candidates to engage their supporters in order to allow for a peaceful redress mechanism and that the IG enhance security for the IEBC commissioners.
Chebukati, in his response to the petition, named Kinyua, Kihara, Azimio Executive Director, Raphael Tuju, and former Busia Senator, Amos Wako had attempted to arm-twist him to subvert the will of the people at the Bomas of Kenya to the point of forcing a run-off in the event Azimio presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, couldn't be declared the outright winner in the 2022 general elections.
"Wako indicated that they had come to ask the Commission not to operate ‘in a vacuum’, and that it must consider the link between the election results to be declared and the stability of the country, which he described as the bigger picture.
"That Raphael Tuju spoke after Senator Wako. He indicated that it was necessary for the results to be 'moderated in favour of baba' and that any contrary declaration of results would 'plunge the country into chaos'. As an alternative, he suggested that in the event that it was not possible to declare 'baba' as the President-elect, then the Commission should force a run-off," Chebukati said, adding that he was promised a reward in the event his request was granted.
IEBC chairman, Wafula Chebukati issuing William Ruto his certificate after winning the election. /WILLIAM RUTO
