Ruto did not win says Raila, spells out new demands

Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga addresses supporters at Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi on January 23, 2023. [File, Standard] Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Monday rejected the legitimacy of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance regime claiming that his victory was stolen in the 2022 General Election. Addressing a rally at Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi, on Monday, hours after jetting into the country from South Africa, Raila claimed that the presidential results declared by former IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati were made up and had nothing to do with the votes cast by the electorate. "We, as Azimio reject the 2022 election results. We can't and won't recognize the Kenya Kwanza regime and consider the Kenya Kwanza government illegitimate. We don't recognise Mr William Ruto as President of Kenya and we equally don't recognise any officials in office with him," he said The ODM leader further said that it did not come as a surprise when they received information from a whistle-blower within the electoral commission who claimed that under Chebukati's direction, Prof Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu, and CEO Marjan Hussein, IEBC provided fabricated information concerning the election to the Kenyans. Raila was escorted by Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Roots Party leader George Wajackoya, former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino among others. The Azimio leader said besides winning big in ODM's traditional strongholds, it was in Mt Kenya that grand election fraud transpired. He claimed that UDA only beat Azimio in Rift Valley but failed to emerge victorious in other regions in the country. "It was our performance in the Mt Kenya region where we broke all records. The people in the mountain voted for us like they've never done before," said Raila. Possible collusion Kioni disputed the 800,000 votes garnered by Raila in Mt Kenya claiming that the alleged evidence from the whistleblower show that Raila scooped 2,607,957 votes from the region. "Raila beat Ruto in Kiambu, Nyeri and Kirinyaga. We have enough people in Mt Kenya who will come forward and fight for their rights," he said. Raila claimed that the state has captured the Supreme Court and the electoral commission. Azimio leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugine Wamalwa arrive at Kamukunji grounds for a rally on January 23, 2023. [Samson Wire, Standard] The ODM leader alleged possible collusion between the Judiciary, IEBC, some foreign nations and the company contracted by IEBC to conduct the elections, to rig the polls. "The two most critical institutions to election in Kenya that is the IEBC and the Supreme Court were central to the rigging of the 2022 elections," said Raila. He faulted the government and Judiciary for dropping several high-profile cases that linked Ruto's allies to various criminal activities. In what he called "Azimio's Clarion Call", Raila said that the coalition and Kenyans reject the legitimacy of the Kenya Kwanza government and William Ruto as President. The coalition is also demanding that the Infrastructure and the records of the 2022 elections to remain public for audit by an impartial body. Raila called on the president to cease what he calls "attempts to reconstitute the IEBC single-handedly". The ODM leader added that without reforms in IEBC and justice over the 2022 election, Azimio will not be party of the 2027 General Election. "There will be no General Election in 2027 until we have cleaned the dirt of 2022," said Raila. Raila Odinga's motorcade making its way along Nairobi's Eastlands area ahead of a rally at Kamukunji grounds on January 23, 2023. [Samson Wire, Standard] The Azimio also hit out at Ruto over claims that there was a plot to kidnap and murder Chebukati during the 2022 election. The ODM leader accused the president of playing politics and stated that it was out of taste for a president to make such allegation in public without providing evidence. "If you say there is evidence, then take it to the police; let them do investigations and let the culprit face the law. There is nothing like that. All the allegations were politics," said Raila. He hit out at Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who last year claimed that Raila's public meetings are a desperate attempt to force a handshake. The ODM leader stated that a handshake with Ruto is out of the question. "I don't want a handshake and there will be no handshake." The ODM leader stated that what Kenyans are seeing now in the opposition is just the beginning. Azimio has now slated another public meeting at Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi on January 29 to speak on matters bedevilling the country and reveal more information on last year's elections conduct. And speaking in Kiambu, on Monday, Ruto hit back at Raila saying that Azimio's public rallies are geared at achieving political interests. "Political rallies by Odinga and his team is a tactical scheme to push their hands in the government, which I will not agree," said Ruto.

Ruto did not win says Raila, spells out new demands

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