Boycott poll, Raila urges Ukambani voters

National Super Alliance leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday toured Ukambani where he urged residents to boycott repeat presidential election.

Mr Odinga urged the community to heed the call by senior leaders including his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka and Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu by staying away from polling stations.

He said even if the electoral commission goes ahead with an uncompetitive election after their pullout, President Uhuru Kenyatta will have forced himself on Kenyans and will therefore be an illegitimate president.

SURPRISED

“We have said there will be no election on Thursday because our proposals on the changes we wanted effected on IEBC have been ignored and therefore participating would amount to a coronation for Uhuru Kenyatta's second term” he said.

Without elaborating on the plans the opposition has to ensure that no elections are held, Mr Odinga said President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto will be surprised to see all polling stations virtually deserted.

He said two thirds of Kenyans were against the repeat election and accused Jubilee of forcing themselves on the Kenyan people.

Mr Odinga said Nasa had credible information that the ground had been set for another round of rigging, citing IEBC chief executive Ezra Chiloba’s failure to resign from office.

RADICAL CHANGES

“Those insisting that we should have agreed to participate do not understand that the situation as it is now will make us appear like flower girls in the election unless radical changes are made at IEBC” he said adding their position has been vindicated by the resignation of Commissioner Roselyn Akombe.

Mr Odinga was accompanied by fellow Nasa co-principals Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang’ula and Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho.

The opposition leaders held rallies in Kitui, Machakos and Makueni counties.

Mr Odinga said boycotting the repeat poll was the only way to protest the electoral agency’s failure to institute credible reforms as ordered by the Supreme Court.

He said the current staff in the IEBC cannot be trusted to conduct a creditable elections as most of them, including some commissioners, have already been compromised.

VOTE

Governor Ngilu, who accompanied the Nasa leaders said President Kenyatta had failed to provide leadership that could hold the country together and suggested that time was ripe to discuss secession.

Mrs Ngilu assured the Nasa principals that there will be no elections in Ukambani.

Mr Wetang’ula urged the Kamba community to emulate Nasa supporters in Western and Nyanza regions, who have promised to keep vigil at the polling stations to turn away those who intends to vote.

Mr Mudavadi asked security chiefs to order the police to work with restraint tomorrow asserting that excessive force will fuel the increasing tension in the country.

Wiper leaders including Kitui Senator Enock Wambua, Makali Mulu (Kitui Central), Gideon Mulyungi (Mwingi Central), Charles Nguna (Mwingi West) and Paul Nzengu ( Mwingi North) were also at the rallies.