We will guard polling stations to prevent rigging, Raila says
Cord leader Raila Odinga speaks to supporters at the Karisa Maitha Grounds in Kilifi on January 24, 2017 during a voter registration campaign. He said the opposition has come up with ways of preventing rigging during elections. PHOTO | KAZUNGU SAMUEL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Odinga said they will put up committees in each polling station to protect their votes.
- He said the system was adopted in Ghana and it proved to be a success that led to President Nana Akufo-Addo's victory.
- Raila said it is during voter registration that losers and winners are determined.
- He said that come February 13, they will be having the tyranny of numbers.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday told supporters that the National Super Alliance (Nasa) will adopt a policy that will help prevent rigging during the August general elections.
He said the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) that has joined forces with Amani National Congress (ANC) and KANU will put up committees at each polling station to protect their votes.
Speaking during his first day of voter sensitisation campaign at Karisa Maitha Grounds in Kilifi Town, Mr Odinga said the system was adopted in Ghana and it proved to be a success that led to President Nana Akufo-Addo's victory.
“We must adopt a polling station policy whereby each polling station must have a committee to detect and deter any incidence of election malpractice.
"It is the system that was used in Ghana and led to the win of my friend Nana Akufo-Addo. That is what we shall do in August,” he said.
Mr Odinga said Kenyans have a reason to kick Jubilee out of power and are capable of doing so because “Jubilee are liars, thieves and enemies of devolution.”
“All you need to do is to equip yourself with the proper tool like a soldier in a battle field and register yourselves as voters. Your voting card is the arrow and bows which you will use to kill the leopard,” he said.
WINNERS AND LOSERS
“After that leave other issues to us to ensure Jubilee is out of power,” he added.
Mr Odinga said it is during voter registration that losers and winners are determined.
He said they plan to beat Jubilee in its own game of “tyranny of numbers”.
“We want to tell President Uhuru Kenyatta that come February 13 we will be having the tyranny of numbers,” Mr Odinga.
However, Mr Odinga said he is concerned over the poor voter registration in some polling stations which he visited in Mtwapa and Kilifi.
“Before I took to the podium, I visited the two registration centres which had registered 30 and 45 people respectively. The registration is [very] poor yet the BVR kit has a capacity to register 150 people in a day,” said Mr Odinga.
TJRC REPORT
He, at the same time, said that the Jubilee administration has filed to address land issues in the Coast by not implementing the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) report.
His sentiments were echoed by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi who said that it is absurd that thousands of squatters who were issued with title deeds by the Uhuru administration cannot obtain bank loans or court sureties.
On Wednesday, morning, Mr Odinga addressed supporters at Kombani and Diani in Kwale County.
He urged them to register in large numbers so that they can vote for the opposition and also ensure they put him in State House.
He implored the youth to register as voters and take part in the general election.
