No presidential election in Mombasa County, only anti-IEBC protests: MCAs

Mombasa County Assembly Member for Airport Ward, Ibrahim Omondi (seated, centre), and other members on October 19, 2017. In a joint statement, the MCAs said there will be no election in Mombasa County on October 26 and they will mobilise their supporters for a major protest in the county. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Nasa has called for a boycott of the October 26 election election and will instead hold protests.
  • The MCAs said the repeat polls is a sham election.

At least 30 members of the Mombasa County Assembly have warned the electoral commission against conducting an election in the county on October 26.

The ward representatives allied to National Super Alliance (Nasa) declared there will be no election in the county.

ELECTION

They further warned those registered as Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials of dire consequences if they attend trainings planned by the commission.

Speaking during a press briefing at the assembly’s committee room, the MCAs announced they will come out in large numbers to demonstrate on the Election Day.

Nasa said it will hold protests countrywide on October 26.

“We are telling parents who have youth that are officials of IEBC not to allow their children to participate in any business regarding the election preparations. We are saying it very clearly that the county will not take part in the election,” said Mr Fahad Kassim of Mjambere ward, who spoke on behalf of the other MCAs.

PROTESTS

He said from the statement issued by the commission’s chairman Wafula Chebukati it was clear that the agency could not conduct fair and credible elections, thus “we are urging our residents not to participate in a sham election”.

“We will gather our residents from all the corners of this county and lead them in the demonstrations as announced by our leader Raila Odinga. We will demonstrate for our rights,” said Mr Kassim.

“We have been tear-gassed during the demonstrations and we will not hesitate from heeding our leader’s call. We will demonstrate.”

Airport ward representative Ibrahim Omondi said the members of the county assembly will do everything possible to stop the election from being conducted in the county.

CREDIBLE POLLS

“We are not going to have elections in this county. We have decided as residents of Mombasa and that we will maintain our stand. No elections will be conducted here,” said Mr Omondi.

The MCAs faulted the Jubilee administration for forcing the IEBC to conduct the election on 26, “even after knowing that it will not be credible”.

“We have to respect the will of the people. Mr Odinga has a big number of followers and his stand represents that of the millions of Kenyans in this country,” he said.