Raila Odinga demands truth of polls after split in IEBC

Azimio Presidential candidate Raila Odinga addresses supporters outside Milimani court buildings on Monday, August 22, 2022, after he filed a petition challenging the win of Kenya Kwanza Presidential candidate William Ruto as the President-elect. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga has maintained that he won the presidential election and said he will not falter in his quest to establish the truth about what transpired during the tallying and verification of votes by the electoral commission.

Speaking after attending a church service at Africa Inland Church (AIC) in Kibra, Nairobi yesterday, Raila accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati of staging a "civil coup" to subvert the will of people.

"I am not afraid. If I lost, I will say I lost and I will go home but where is the truth? I am sure I did not lose and therefore I will stand firm and will not be shaken and the voice of the people of Kenya as expressed on August 9 must be respected," he said.

The Azimio leader argued that the split in the IEBC over the outcome of the presidential election raises questions and controversy which can only be addressed by the Supreme Court.

Hours before the announcement of the presidential election results on August 15, IEBC Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera together with three commissioners walked out of Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi, and addressed a press conference where they rejected the outcome and accused Chebukati of side-lining them and taking over the process.

The IEBC chairperson later accused the four commissioners of trying to push for a re-run.

"Are the three commissioners saying the truth or are the four telling the truth? Where is the truth between the two groups of commissioners? There is a truth somewhere. What I am asking for as Raila Amolo Odinga is to be told the truth," said Raila.

The ODM leader criticised the response by IEBC commissioner Abdi Guliye who accused part of the Azimio team of allegedly trying to force the commission to change the election outcome in Raila's favour.

In the response filed in court on Sunday, Prof Guliye alleged that outgoing Busia Senator Amos Wako and lawyer Kyalo Mbobu paid Chebukati a visit on August 15 and asked him to consider the "bigger picture" and the stability of the country.

He further claimed that former Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju also paid him a visit and asked him to moderate the results in favour of Raila.

"We said that Kenya's problem is corruption. If the Chairman of the commission can say that there are people who wanted to bribe him, who are these people and why didn't he say there were attempts to bribe him?" Posed Raila.

Tuju has refuted the allegations saying that the affidavits filed by Guliye and Chebukati lack substance and were intended to divert attention by mentioning his name.

"There were 10 of us in that room. For him to claim that I made some offers to him in front of those ten is a tarradiddle, petty lie," he said yesterday.

The former Jubilee Secretary-General has hinted that he will be joining the case and his lawyers are working to prepare his affidavit.

Raila also hit out at Kenya Kwanza Alliance leaders who have called him out for challenging multiple election outcomes saying he was doing this for future generations.

"This is not just for the election of 2022 but it's for posterity. We do not want to go into an election and see the kind of charade we are seeing today," said the ODM leader.

Today the Supreme Court will conduct the pre-trial conference in preparation for the commencement of hearings on Tuesday.

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