Raila Reveals Why Tuju, Salat Visited Cherera 4 In Kilimani Apartment

Azimio la Umoja coalition leader, Raila Odinga has explained why politicians allied to his presidential campaign including former Jubilee party secretary general, Rafael Tuju, and KANU's Nick Salat visited the four suspended Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commissioners (IEBC) at an apartment in Kilimani, Nairobi.

In an interview on Citizen TV on Tuesday, December 27, Raila defended the visits saying that his team was in protest of the results of the August 9 presidential elections announced by IEBC chairperson, Wafula Chebukati and wanted to find out the truth of what had happened.

A manager at Yaya Apartments had appeared before the Justice Aggrey Muchelule-led tribunal investigating the four; Juliana Cherera, Irene Masit, Justus Nyang’aya and Francis Wanderi and revealed that Tuju and Salat visited the four during their four-day stay.

Former IEBC vice-chair, Juliana Cherera during a press address at Serena Hotel in Nairobi. /FILE

“The politicians were justified to visit these commissioners because they were saying No. Our people were actually justified in finding out the truth because that was already ex post facto. The result had already been announced by Chebukati,” Odinga said.

“They (Azimio politicians who visited) wanted to know what actually transpired. They are making too much noise about it in the so-called tribunal.”

According to Yaya Apartments management, three units comprising three-bedroom apartments were reserved prior to the arrival of the four, who declined to register as guests when they arrived at the apartments hours after Chebukati declared William Ruto as President-elect.

Just before the commissioners arrived at the apartments, they had staged a parallel press conference at Serena Hotel where they had publicly disowned the results.

The Azimio leader further took a swipe at the Justice Muchelule-led tribunal which was formed by President Ruto, terming it as illegal.

“That tribunal itself is illegal, the way it was constituted, the matter was rushed and before the bill was even taken to Parliament, the so-called Victor who brought the bill had already condemned the four commissioners as people who had put the country in turmoil,” he said.

Uhuru Was Not Meant To Support Me In Elections- Raila

Regarding his loss in the August polls, he dismissed allegations that former President Uhuru Kenyatta had played a contributing role to his defeat to President Ruto, saying that Uhuru was only conducting his administerial role as the Azimio Chairman and did not expect him to campaign for the Former Prime Minister.

"Nothing could be further from the truth…Uhuru was not supposed to be campaigning for me. I am a politician in my own right and I am capable of campaigning and winning elections and Uhuru knows it.

"Uhuru chose to support me because of my track record, but he was not the one who was going to campaign for me. He did not move around campaigning for me. He basically stood on his duties and did not use his position as the incumbent president to swing the results in my favour,” he said.

He added that if Uhuru wanted to use the position to influence the election to his advantage, then he would have used the police force in his favour if he saw fit.

"He did not even use the security forces. He did not give instructions to the police, the intelligence machinery, or the DCI to support me in any way. The environment was very free and fair for everybody," said Odinga.

"I got a lot of votes in Uhuru's backyard and that is where the most rigging was done. I got a lot of votes from Central Kenya and I really want to thank them for voting for me the way they did vote for me."

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) shakes hand ODM party leader Raila Odinga during the ODM National Delegates Conference at the Kasarani indoor arena on February 26, 2022. /DAILY NATION

He also expressed confidence that campaigns were the "most organized" he has ever conducted in his political streak, and no one should be blamed for Azimio's loss.

“I am not bitter because the elections are not for Raila Odinga, it is for Kenyans. We want an audit of these results so that Kenyans can have confidence come 2027 that they can go to the polls, cast their votes and that their votes will count,” he added.

“I’m not talking about running for president. I am concerned about what happened [in the August 9, 2022, presidential election]. I want the [electoral] systems to be cleaned up. I don’t have to run for president in 2027. If I don’t run, somebody else would. But I haven’t said I won’t run.”

He further refuted claims that he lost because he listened to only three people in his team; Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, former ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru and his campaign secretariat spokesperson Makau Mutua, terming the claims “absolute rubbish,” and the matter was beyond the duty of his chief agent Saitabao Kanchory. He further added that Kanchory’s duties were at Bomas and not the campaigns nor the agents.