Stop Disturbing Me With Servers- Ruto To Raila

President William Ruto rubbished demands by Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga regarding the opening of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) servers, terming them unconstitutional.

Speaking on Friday, March 3 in Nakuru County, Ruto told off Raila by revealing that he does not have the legal powers, nor the time to heed his demand to open the server.

The Head of State asked Raila to seek guidance from the necessary channels in terms of amending laws on who should open the servers.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga addresses a meeting with Muslim Clerics in Nairobi on March 2, 2023. /RAILA ODINGA

"I have told Raila to stop disturbing me with issues with the server. There is nowhere in the law that states that the President should open the server. I do not have time to open the server.

"Let us respect the rule of law. Do not make demands that are unconstitutional, that are extra-legal and extra-judicial. We will follow the law. So if they want, let them go and make a law on who should open the servers," he stated.

He further rebuked Raila for having a goldfish memory in terms of opening the servers, reminding him that they were last opened during the August 9, 2022, general elections and that the IEBC portal to view the results as they streamed in was available for Kenyans to access.

Ruto reiterated his focus on building the country's economy and termed the distraction by the opposition as hot air.

"I told him that the servers were opened long ago. Where was he? The server was opened during the elections. Didn't you find your biometrics when you went to vote? Where was he?

"Our focus is on the economy and that is what we are doing," he stated.

Ruto's response came after Raila issued six demands to Ruto and gave him a 14-day ultimatum before embarking on countrywide mass action, with mass demonstrations to be held by Azimio in Nairobi on Wednesday, March 8

During a prime-time interview with KTN News on Tuesday, February 28, Raila disclosed that there was room for talks between him and Ruto, despite the constant criticisms of the Kenya Kwanza government, giving him three conditions before he could agree to the talks.

"He must agree to open the server. Secondly, stop the recruitment of IEBC commissioners and the third is the issue of the cost of living in the country. Kenyans are suffering, some cannot buy bread," he demanded.

"If Ruto knows he won the elections why does he fear opening the servers," he posed.