Jubilee Party drags Raila Odinga's name into Safran saga

Deputy President William Ruto, Water CS Eugene Wamalwa, Busia Gubernatorial Aspirant Paul Otuoma and Labour Party Leader of Kenya Ababu Namwamba during a meeting in Busia County. PICTURE REBECCA NDUKU/DPPS

National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga and his allies helped Safran Morpho secure its first contract in 2013, two Jubilee Party leaders have claimed.

Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa claimed that the former prime minister ordered direct procurement of the Kenya Integrated Electronic Management System kits from Safran Morpho.

"In 2012, the election sub-committee was under Raila... His proposal (for direct procurement) was seconded by (Siaya Senator) James Orengo, who was then the Lands Cabinet minister," claimed Mr Wamalwa.

"Raila knows how the company got the contract and he cannot now lie to Kenyans that the company has a bad reputation."

Wamalwa was speaking during Deputy President William Ruto's campaign rally in Budalang'i, Busia County, Monday, as former Funyula MP Paul Otuoma officially decamped from Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party to Jubilee.

Wamalwa and former Budalang'i MP Ababu Namwamba wondered why Raila was demonising the firm IEBC contracted to provide technological services in the August 8 elections, yet he allowed the firm to be awarded the same tender in 2012. 

"I was in charge of the constitutional docket under Raila when he, Mr Orengo and Caroli Omondi proposed the company to be given a direct contract to supply the kits. We did it and I do not know what has changed that they now want it (the firm) punished," said Wamalwa.

Mr Namwamba said: "As the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman, I conducted research on the company, spending two weeks each in Canada and France. I realised that the company got direct procurement through the order of Raila."

Speaking in Bunandi village in Funyula after welcoming Dr Otuoma to Jubilee, Mr Ruto affirmed that Jubilee would win the repeat election by a wide margin. He warned the Opposition against threats to boycott the poll, saying Raila had no powers to stop it.

"Even President Uhuru Kenyatta has no powers to call off the election so who is Raila to threaten that there will be no election? I assure Kenyans that the election will be held as planned by IEBC, which is an independent commission," said Ruto.

He asked Raila to stop pushing for the resignation of besieged IEBC Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba and instead focus on campaigning.

"He has threatened to remove Chiloba from office by force. He did it with Samuel Kivuitu and Isaack Hassan. He should know that no criminal act will be left unpunished. He should seek votes instead of targeting Chiloba, who is a small man," he said.

"What are they going to do to stop Kenyans from voting? The right of Kenyans to elect leaders of their choice is not negotiable," added the DP.

Raila and his NASA co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetang'ula (Bungoma senator) and Musalia Mudavadi have threatened not to participate in the election if changes are not effected at IEBC.

They have demanded that Chiloba and other commissioners should leave office. 

"We will ensure that we triple the votes for President Uhuru Kenyatta. Raila and NASA have frustrated us for a long time and we cannot continue to support them," said Otuoma.

He said Jubilee leaders were building bridges of friendship and brotherhood since their main agenda was to see Kenyans living in peace.

"The President is elected to serve everybody, whether you voted for him or not, and that's what we are doing," he said. 

Otuoma wondered why NASA was issuing boycott threats yet it successfully challenged Uhuru's August 8 victory at the Supreme Court. 

He declared that Jubilee politicians in Busia would ensure Uhuru got more than 100,000 votes from the county. Uhuru garnered slightly more than 34,000 on August 8.