Before giving a talk at The Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House, the National Super Alliance flag bearer Raila Odinga did an interview with The Standard at the Conrad Hotel in St. James Park in London.
The Orange Democratic Movement leader insisted that there will be no repeat presidential poll and that the electoral agency would be executing an illegality if they go on to conduct the poll.
He welcomed Judge Mativo’s ruling to allow Thirdway Alliance Party leader Dr Ekuru Aukot to be included in the ballot but said it was a bit late.
Raila also said that October 26th will be a normal day for Kenyans, not a voting day. He also warned of any effort by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) would be an insult to the Kenyan law.
“I express the fear that we are entering an era of anything goes with regard to democratization with the West being seen to be turning its back on democracy by cutting funding,” said Raila, warning against deserting democracy and endorsing regimes with unconvincing records.
Raila added that when he wrote to the IEBC about his withdrawal, it meant that the Commission had to organise for a fresh poll within 90 days.
These are the six main things Raila said, insisting that he will not participate in the October 26 poll:
- Amendments to election laws being changed in the middle of an election cycle
- Kenya needs its international friends to support its struggle to protect and defend its democratic institutions and processes
- Elections lie at the heart of democracy
- IEBC is unwilling to undertake changes to ensure that the illegalities and irregularities do not happen again
- Checklist of the requirements for free and fair elections proposed by NASA not disputed by the IEBC, Jubilee or other actors and observers
- Democracy is in jeopardy in Africa largely because many pro-democracy activists are no longer sure they have the support of the West.
“Kenya needs its international partners, who have been its great friends in the past, to support Kenyans in this struggle to protect and defend its democratic institutions and processes. Our partners enjoy enormous respect for the role they played in helping us overcome the decade-long yoke of one-party rule in the 1990s,” added the NASA flag bearer.
Raila finished saying that both the IEBC and Jubilee have the capacity to resolve the stalemate and bring back the country to normalcy.
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