I will stick to the law over IEBC, President Kenyatta says

President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta leave the National Prayer Breakfast forum at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi on June 3, 2016. PHOTO | JEREMIAH KIPLANGAT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  Jeremiah Kiplang'at

What you need to know:

  • The President said he took the oath to defend the Constitution and "I will just do that".
  • He said those who think it was inconvenient to them should not think it's inconvenient to everyone.
  • President Kenyatta said the Constitution was fought for very hard and that "it will outlive all of us."
  • Deputy President William Ruto said they would figure out how to handle the IEBC matter, but added that he was confident the country would hold "peaceful, fair and transparent elections" next year.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said he will stick to the law over the push to remove commissioners at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

President Kenyatta said he would not be party to any agenda that seeks to undermine the Constitution.

"I swore to defend this Constitution and I will just do that. It is not about what is only good for you and if it is not you think it is not good for others," he said.

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He spoke during the National Prayer Breakfast held at Safari Park Hotel on Friday. The breakfast is organised by Parliament annually and is in its 14th year.

'OUTLIVE ALL OF US'

President Kenyatta said the Constitution was fought for very hard and that "it will outlive all of us."

He said attention should be on the ways to improve the living standards of Kenyans not on things that the Constitution has already indicated how they should be done.

Angry that Kiambu Town MP Jude Njomo had asked God to intervene in the crisis, the President said God had already helped the country to have a Constitution and that it was time "for us to follow it."

Mr Njomo had initially asked God to intervene in the matter when he prayed for national cohesion.

Deputy President William Ruto said they would figure out how to handle the IEBC matter, but added that he was confident the country would hold "peaceful, fair and transparent elections" next year.

Speaking at the forum, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi urged Kenyans to "be instruments of peace, unity and prosperity for the nation."

Information and Communications Technology Cabinet Secretary Joseph Mucheru said: "We must remind ourselves that we are 42 tribes working together as one not against one another.

"In order to work together it takes trust, our theme today"

The Opposition has been pushing for the removal of the commissioners and has already named a team to hold a dialogue with the Jubilee coalition.

Cord leader Raila Odinga has warned that without a dialogue, weekly protests against the electoral body will resume next Monday following a one-week hiatus.

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