Cord leaders renew war on polls team
From left: Cord leaders Moses Wetangula, Kalonzo Musyoka and Anyang' Nyong'o during a press briefing at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi on April 24, 2014. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU
What you need to know:
- IEBC declared Mr Kenyatta winner of the March 2013 General Election with 6.1 million votes against Mr Odinga’s 5.3 million
- On Wednesday, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale defended the commission’s conduct of the 2013 election
Cord leaders have described the electoral commission as “a criminal organisation”, which should not be in charge of the next General Election.
Cord leaders Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Democratic Party), Moses Wetangula (Ford-K), and Budalang’i member of Parliament Ababu Namwamba said at a press conference in Nairobi on Thursday that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as presently constituted lacked legitimacy to conduct future elections.
“We do not want another shameful performance by the so-called Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission,” Mr Musyoka said.
Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o said of the IEBC: “I don’t think our elections should be run by a criminal organisation.”
Cord flagbearer in the 2013 election was former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. He was defeated by the Jubilee Coalition’s Uhuru Kenyatta, who with his running mate, Mr William Ruto, are now President and Deputy President.
IEBC declared Mr Kenyatta winner with 6.1 million votes against Mr Odinga’s 5.3 million. Cord contested the results in the Supreme Court, but the court upheld the IEBC verdict. Cord said they would respect the decision, but would not agree with it.
On Thursday, the Cord leaders said they would push for a Bill to dissolve the commission.
However, the coalition has fewer members in the National Assembly compared to Jubilee, meaning, such a Bill can easily be defeated by the Jubilee MPs, who have consistently defended the commission.
SMEAR ITS NAME
On Wednesday, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale defended the commission’s conduct of the 2013 election, saying, Jubilee would shoot down any attempts by Cord MPs to introduce a motion against the IEBC. (READ: Jubilee fights Cord's move against IEBC)
The commission has said several times that the elections were free and fair.
Last week, a recording emerged in which an electoral commission official was allegedly heard casting doubts on the credibility of the elections.
The commission has since dismissed the recording as meant to smear its name. (READ: Tape is a plot to fix me, IEBC chief now claims)
