Governor Wa Iria resumes IEBC protests, claims Chebukati ignoring him

Usawa Political Party Presidential Aspirant Mwangi Wa Iria with his supporters outside the Bomas of Kenya after being blocked from accessing IEBC for clearance, on May 30, 2022. [Samson Wire. Standard].

 

Murang'a Governor Mwangi wa Iria has resumed his protests against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) after being left out of the presidential race.

IEBC, on Monday, blocked Wa Iria’s application saying he had failed to meet the signatures threshold for clearance as a presidential candidate.

“We were only granting an extension to the aspirants who presented signatures from a minimum of 24 counties. Wa Iria brought signatures from 22 counties only," IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati explained.

Relentless, however, Wa Iria and his supporters pitched camp at Anniversary Towers on Tuesday with an aim of meeting Chebukati who failed to grant them an audience.

"He [referring to Chebukati] is buying time for my chances to expire and I am not going to allow it. I will be on the ballot. If not, I will be the leader of a resistance movement which will start immediately," Wa Iria told the media.

The governor went further to allege that the Bomas of Kenya was a scene of crime saying the IEBC was telling Kenyans that they are doing the validation of signatures but they do not have a register of signatures to do such.

"I believe he is under strict instructions to exclude me from systems that be...his paymaster. He is buying time for my chances to expire and am not going to allow it."

Chebukati however insisted that the only signatures that were valid in Wa Iria’s submission were from five counties.

"The remaining signatures from 17 counties did not meet the threshold for clearance,” said the IEBC boss.

A contingent of police officers was Monday morning deployed to ensure order was maintained at the Bomas of Kenya after Wa Iria's supporters continued to demand he be attended to by the IEBC officials.

All through, the electoral board officials remained inside the Bomas of Kenya.

“Who gave you the orders to lock us out?” Wa Iria was heard asking the security officers manning the gate at the Bomas of Kenya.

“We are Kenyans, and we know our rights. This has to stop. I will fight till the end to ensure that I’m on the ballot paper as a presidential candidate, even if it means holding protests countrywide,” he said.