Jubilee writes to Chebukati over meeting as poll gridlock persists

A section of Jubilee MPs arrive for a press conference at Parliament Buildings, Nairobi. The leaders cautioned NASA members against boycotting the repeat presidential election. [Moses Omusula, Standard]

The political gridlock surrounding the repeat presidential election persisted, with President Uhuru Kenyatta saying no one had the right to impose conditions on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) before the repeat poll was held.

The President spoke as his Jubilee Party insisted that Safran Morpho should supply technology to IEBC.

“The threats by the Opposition amounted to bullying, intimidation and rogue politics, but will amount to nothing,” said Uhuru.

Block election

Addressing a delegation from Narok County at State House Nairobi, the President said “noises” by the Opposition about boycotting or blocking the election amounted to “empty talk”.

“We are telling our opponents to stop intimidating Kenyans. Nobody can block the election. And we will not give in to any kind of intimidation from anybody,” said the President.

Patrick ole Ntutu, a Narok governor candidate in the August 8 elections, together with 10 MCAs pledged to support Uhuru’s re-election campaign.

And on Tuesday, Jubilee wrote to IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati informing the commission that the party would skip today’s planned meeting.

Jubilee Party Secretary General Raphael Tuju said they would only engage the commission to discuss plans for the repeat presidential election after reading the full judgement by the Supreme Court, set for release today.

“We have written to Mr Chebukati requesting a postponement of the meeting until the full judgement is made public,” said Mr Tuju.

“We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 14, 2017, on the subject of the fresh presidential election calling for a consultative meeting slated for Wednesday, September 20, 2017. We, however, request to have the said meeting postponed and held at an appropriate future date,” read the letter dated September 19.

“We will need to go through the detailed judgement so that our contribution can be more constructive,” it went on.

Today’s meeting was supposed to bring together IEBC, Jubilee and the National Super Alliance (NASA) to discuss an alternative poll date after Safran Morpho said it would be impossible to reset the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kits and hold the election on October 17 as earlier announced by IEBC.

In Parliament, Jubilee MPs defended the French firm that NASA has blamed for the bungled presidential election, asserting it has the capacity to provide poll technology.

The legislators said NASA candidate Raila Odinga was scared of losing the repeat election and was now busy putting roadblocks to scuttle it.

The MPs said it was Raila who brought Safran to Kenya to provide technology in the run-up to the 2013 General Election and questioned why he was disparaging the firm’s image now.

“NASA is a player in the election just as Jubilee is. They have no mandate to instruct IEBC on how to conduct the exercise. They should wait for the detailed ruling before they start telling us who should be fired and who should remain at the commission,” said Majority Whip Benjamin Washiali.

Nominated MP Cecily Mbarire said she was the vice-chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee when it investigated how the firm was awarded the contract.