Raila worried over IEBC preparedness for August polls

Raila said the Opposition was worried that the Wafula Chebukati-led commission was moving at snail pace to fix the electoral infrastructure that will ensure a free, transparent, credible and fair election.PHOTO:COURTESY

Opposition chief Raila Odinga has criticised the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for its lack of preparedness to manage the August polls.

Raila said the Opposition was worried that the Wafula Chebukati-led commission was moving at snail pace to fix the electoral infrastructure that will ensure a free, transparent, credible and fair election.

The former premier believes putting the Kenya Integrated Electoral Management Systems in place and a thorough audit of the voter register will be key to holding peaceful elections.

Of concern to the Opposition is a secretariat that served under former IEBC boss Issack Hassan whose remnants, Raila said, would dent the image of the new commissioners.

"We have issues with the IEBC executive. We are worried about the state of preparedness for the August elections. The rot is in the IEBC executive, not the commissioners," he said.

Addressing the press at Wilson Airport before departing for Meru County yesterday, Raila insisted that the commission must assure Kenyans that the ICT electoral infrastructure would be put in place in time.

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka accused the Jubilee administration of presiding over a country of merchants of death in insecurity-prone areas like Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties.

"It's now evident to everyone that Jubilee has lost the moral authority to govern this country. Under the watch of the Jubilee administration, innocent Kenyans - women, children and other vulnerable groups in society - are perishing from disease, hunger, drought and at the hands of merchants of death," the former vice president said.

Kalonzo wondered why the Jubilee administration was busy pushing for military deals instead of addressing the issues facing millions of Kenyans.

He challenged Jubilee to come clean on the Sh43 billion warplanes deal with the US government.

"Military strength is most welcome, but it cannot come at the expense of the lives of the very poor people who should benefit from investment in the military," said Kalonzo.