Ruto Tells Off Raila Over Demand For Cherera To Replace Chebukati

President-elect William Ruto has rubbished daring demands from Azimio la Umoja's flagbearer, Raila Odinga, that the Independent Election and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, Wafula Chebukati should step down.

Speaking after welcoming a host of leaders from the Movement for Democracy and Growth party (MDG) at the Deputy President’s Official Residence in Karen on Friday, August 26, Ruto urged his competitors to let the IEBC carry out its mandate.

He also reprimanded Raila for calling for Chebukati's deputy, Juliana Cherera, to take his place as the former Prime Minister wildly suggested.

“We want to tell them that it is not right and we shall not allow them. For us to live in a secure, predictable democratic society we must build our institutions so that the rule of law overrides the rule of men,” he remarked. 

“I want to ask all of us to give the IEBC its space to do its job," Ruto added. 

He also exposed the Azimio leader as being the cause of the disintegration of previous electoral commissions, including the manner in which he called for the removal of ex-chairperson, Ahmed Issack Hassan, and how he was using the same tactic to chase out Chebukati.

He also called upon politicians to step aside and allow the Supreme Court to hear and determine the petitions seeking to invalidate his win and those questioning how the IEBC conducted itself in the August 9 general elections.

Ruto termed Raila's lecturing of the Judiciary on how to do its job in the petitions as crazy, and one that would ruin its independence and credibility.

“Let me take this opportunity and ask our competitors that we want to move this country to the next level. Let us allow the judicial system in Kenya to make a determination on the issues that you have taken to court.

“We are not building this country around personalities, we are building this country around institutions and all of us irrespective of who we are, and the power we wield. We must build institutions," he added.

His response comes after the IEBC termed Raila's sentiments as misleading to Kenyans, especially the part of calling for Chebukati to stay away from overseeing the Monday, August 29 Kakamega and Mombasa gubernatorial elections.

The commission 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.

"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 noted.

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.