Saitabao Leaks Audio Of Him Demanding Chebukati For a Recount

The audio drew mixed reactions on social media

Saitabao Leaks Audio Of Him Demanding Chebukati For a Recount
A collage of Saitabao Kanchory and IEBC chairperson, Wafula Chebukati. /FILE

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's Chief Agent, Saitabao Kanchory on Thursday, August 25 released a secret recording of the behind-the-scenes conversation with Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, Wafula Chebukati before the presidential results were announced on Monday, August 15 at the Bomas of Kenya.

In the audio which he shared on his Twitter account, Saitabao had requested Chebukati to verify the results before the announcement with the Azimio la Umoja coalition, but his requests were allegedly turned down.

He was to sign to confirm that the final results were valid before the final announcement but he had not done so at the time. Chebukati could be heard suggesting that Saitabao gets a copy of the results for him to sign.

Saitabao was with Narok Senator, Ledama Olekina and Nairobi Woman Representative, Esther Passaris.

Here is the audio:

"I will sign if you give me the chance to verify. If you give me the chance to verify and we agree that these are the results, I will sign," he was heard saying.

Ledama could then be heard accusing Chebukati of trying to instigate chaos across the country, saying "I will listen to you but you need to listen to me as a leader as well, as a Kenyan and a voter," to Chebukati who was seemingly irked by his initial sentiments.

Saitabao then requested a copy of the results to sign as they are, given that he was the only one asking for it.

He then moved to compel the IEBC chair to address his demand for a retallying of the votes as well as scrutiny, to which Chebukati argued that Constitutional timelines stipulate that the presidential results must be released seven days after the voting process took place.

To be specific, the deadline for the results to be announced was on Tuesday, August 16 and a retallying of a total of over 14 million votes would have seen the process completed past the stipulated deadline, thus igniting a constitutional crisis.

After Chebukati defended by stating that the commission could not start a re-tally having done an exhaustive vote tallying since the closure of the voting exercise, Saitabao resigned by telling him that "so your conscience is right on what you're doing. The meeting is over, but it's just the beginning."

The audio drew mixed reactions on social media, with one side arguing that Chebukati conducted his mandate as the National Returning Officer (NRO) as expected, who is the only one constitutionally mandated to declare the presidential election winner. 

They believed that in the event the audio is produced during the presidential petition hearing in the Supreme Court, the outcome could go against the Azimio coalition which is seeking to declare the president-elect status of William Ruto null and void and order a fresh election.

Others took Saitabao's side in placing Chebukati in the wrong, despite the crisis that would have occurred had the chair submitted to his demands.

The seven-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Martha Koome has until Monday, September 5 to hear and determine nine petitions on the presidential election; eight filed against the results and one by former Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria seeking to block Raila's petition.

Supreme Court judges set to hear presidential election petitions. /CITIZEN DIGITAL