The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media
platforms spanning newspaper print
operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a
leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and
international interest.
Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Executive Director Raphael Tuju has claimed that he held a secret meeting with three commissioners of the electoral agency.
Tuju yesterday said he met Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati at a "secret location in Karen" on an undisclosed date. He claimed the IEBC chair initiated the meeting.
He also alleged that he held a meeting with Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu - the two commissioners in Chebukati's corner in the current spat within the IEBC - in his house on an undisclosed date, saying he had CCTV footage to prove the same happened.
The former Jubilee Secretary General said Prof Guliye and Molu were not strangers to him, and they had allegedly come to him as "auctioneers". He further alleged that Guliye sent two emissaries to him for unspecified agenda.
"Nilikutumia watu, mbona hukuongea nao? (I sent emissaries to you, why didn't you talk to them?" Tuju said. "I want them to say they never came to my house."
The Azimo executive director declined to divulge the details of the meetings, only saying the the two commissioners had indicated that they had confidential matters to discuss and sought a private venue.
He further claimed that Chebukati also met agents of United Democratic Alliance Secretary General Veronica Maina and former Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok after he met him.
"Nanok and Veronica Maina were at the door waiting for us to leave so that they could get in... just as he wants to tell Kenyans about the discussions we had... he should be honest enough to tell Kenyans what he was discussing with Nanok and Maina as soon as we finished with him," he said.
Tuju also claimed to have been speaking to the said commissioners on the phone, saying he could volunteer call logs to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for forensic analysis.
The Standard could not independently verify his claims made at a press briefing in Nairobi.
He was responding to claims by Guliye in his affidavit in defence of the declaration of William Ruto as the president-elect. Guliye has claimed that Tuju, former Busia Senator Amos Wako and a lawyer attempted to have the IEBC "moderate" results of the presidential election to have Azimio's Raila Odinga declared the winner or force a run-off.
"I was at the Bomas of Kenya several times," Tuju said, before acknowledging that the said meeting alleged by Chebukati took place at "4am" and not 3am as Chebukati had stated.
Tuju denied claims that he had tried to arm-twist the IEBC into making a favourable announcement, saying he had gone to complain over an alleged electoral malpractice after several attempts to reach out to the IEBC boss flopped.
"I had received intelligence from one of the IEBC officials who complained that forms 34A were being brought down and were being replaced by other forms 34A. He was not able to know the exact location where this was happening," he said, adding that he had reported the matter to the DCI.
He claimed he had been blocked from accessing Bomas under Chebukati's instructions.
Tuju said he had to force his way into the national tallying centre after his attempts to meet the IEBC chair were thwarted, claiming that he raised the issues with Guliye, who was unable to offer solutions.
"I found him with Guliye and Molu... he told me he was busy... and told me to come later," he said. "I came back later, at 8pm, and he told me to come at about midnight." Tuju would come back at 2am on August 15 and at 4am when the meeting eventually happened.
"All the commissioners were in the room. There were about 10 of us... for him to claim that I made some offers to him in front of the 10 is a petty lie," Tuju said, terming the claims in Guliye's affidavit tactics to divert attention from the facts of the petition.
Tuju said he would file an affidavit by yesterday. His allegations are the latest in a series of bombshell revelations surrounding the now contested August 9 presidential election.
