Vacate State House, Raila insists he defeated Ruto

Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga addresses Azimio rally at Jacaranda Grounds in Nairobi on January 29, 2023. [Denish Ochieng, Standard] Azimio leader Raila Odinga has given the United Nations and the Commonwealth a two-week ultimatum to investigate alleged election fraud, claiming he won last year's polls by more than two million votes. Raila said that the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) cannot purport to investigate last year's elections debacle since it was working for President William Ruto who is a beneficiary of the illegal process. "Only the United Nations and the Commonwealth can investigate the August 2022 electoral process in Kenya which denied Kenyans an opportunity to have the president of their choice in office, this other exercise that the Directorate of Criminal Investigation wants to engage in is to hoodwink Kenyans," said Raila. Addressing a rally at Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi yesterday, the ODM leader told President Ruto to vacate State House immediately and pave way for him to be declared the legitimately elected fifth President of Kenya. "Accept that you were defeated in the election, leave State House for Baba to get in. We are speaking the truth, we do not want war, and we do not want threats. We have our rights as Kenyans, and it cannot be snatched by a hawk, Kenyans deserve a leader that they elected," he said. The Azimio leader announced that the next rally will be at Kamukunji grounds, Kibra constituency next Sunday, once he jets back to the country from Nigeria and Senegal with another one planned for Machakos town a few days later. Raila said that the countrywide public engagements are meant to explain to Kenyans what happened during the last election in which Azimio was denied its deserved win by Kenya Kwanza which worked with some unscrupulous individuals at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). He claimed that Ruto was appointing his cronies in key state positions so that they can perpetuate his agenda of self-preservation and ensure that he maintains the hold on power in the 2027 elections. That Ruto's next plan is to have his people as Commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). "Any attempts by Ruto to try to unilaterally reconstitute the IEBC should be stopped immediately since Kenyans are not going to recognise a compromised electoral body to conduct the 2027 General Election and we are going to resist those plans since we would like to have a peaceful country," said Raila. The former Prime Minister reiterated that the president is the least qualified person to talk about murders in the country, citing his remarks on the alleged plot to kill former IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati. He challenged Ruto to tell the country what happened to the International Criminal Court witnesses who disappeared. Raila said he cannot be threatened by the president and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, when he is articulating the views of millions of citizens who are disillusioned by the current state of affairs in the country with the harsh economic times. Raila said that former Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju has CCTV evidence of the former IEBC Chairman and former Commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu visiting his home to discuss the last election. He claimed that he has has evidence on Chebukati which he is going to reveal at the right time and they should not try to fool Kenyans who are aware of their shenanigans. Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua said that the country had enough funds to solve the economic crisis and President Ruto should tell Kenyans where the funds that were in the national coffers had gone. "We are asking Kenyans not to be afraid of demanding their rights by having their legitimate government in place. We are not going to accept intimidation by the Kenya Kwanza administration, you have heard William Ruto and leaders allied to him making grave allegations about the electoral exercise which are not true at all," she said. Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka said that the country was divided and called on Azimio MPs not to accept to be bought by the Kenya Kwanza government but to stand up for the rights of the millions of Kenyans who voted for them. Kalonzo declared that Raila's election victory would be protected by all Kenyans and they will hold peaceful meetings across the country since its their constitutional right to ensure justice for Kenyans. He urged Azimio supporters to maintain peace like they have done in the rallies held so far in Kamukunji and Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi. "We are keenly watching Azimio MPs who are avoiding our meetings and are working with the Kenya Kwanza government barely five months after being elected," he said. Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina dared Ruto to go ahead and unilaterally appoint IEBC commissioners but warned him to be rest assured that there will be no 2027 election since Azimio supporters will not accept to be used as a rubber stamp for an illegal process. Kina asked Kenyans to stand up for their rights since a majority of Kenya Kwanza leaders did not care about their well-being but were allegedly out to accumulate wealth and win the 2027 elections. Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni claimed that the greatest electoral rigging happened in the Mount Kenya region and the Ruto administration was worried about area residents coming out to state the truth. Kioni said Raila is not looking for a handshake with Kenya Kwanza which lacks direction and is clueless about the needs of Kenyans who have now lost hope since election promises have not been delivered. Embakasi East MP Babu Owino said that you cannot have a hyena writing a proposal on how to take care of goats.

Vacate State House, Raila insists he defeated Ruto

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