IEBC sneaked in 2 million votes to deny me victory, claims Raila

Cord leader Raila Odinga on Sunday claimed that two million votes were sneaked into the electoral agency’s server to deny him victory in the 2013 polls.

Addressing a rally at Waondo Primary in Mbita, Homa Bay, during the second anniversary of former Senator Otieno Kajwang’, Mr Odinga said the electoral agency was part of the theft of his election, noting he would not go the coming polls with the current team.

“After the 2013 elections, we decided to seek the services of an international agency to analyse the results which revealed massive discrepancies in the presidential poll outcome,” said the ODM leader.

However, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has consistently explained that the narrative that two million people voted for the President only was a “myth.”

The total variance between those who voted for the President and the other five seats, the IEBC said, was 458,085.

But on Sunday, Mr Odinga said the outcome of the report revealed that a total of 10 million people cast their votes for MCAs, woman reps, MPs, senators and governors, while 12 million only voted for the President and left the polling centres.

“The two million votes were cast abroad and taken for stuffing in Central Kenya. But after the computers rejected them, they were reflected directly in the IEBC server in favour of Jubilee,” said Mr Odinga.

“From our analysis of the elections, Cord had 5.8 million presidential votes against Jubilee’s 4.7 million, a difference of 1.1 million votes,” he said.

IN PANIC MODE

Mr Odinga said Jubilee was in a panic mode after he revealed several government scams, adding that the government was now hell-bent on mudslinging him.

“They are asking why I am just dwelling on the negative side of the government. The answer is that I have nothing positive to talk about Jubilee. They are now claiming that governors have been funding me. They must know that I started politics long ago even before the devolved system,” he said.

ODM deputy leader Hassan Joho told other Cord principals to give Mr Odinga a chance to fly the coalition’s flag next year, saying the former premier has the numbers to send President Uhuru Kenyatta home.

“Politics is about numbers and nobody has the numbers more than Raila. If we want to beat Uhuru, then we must give Raila a chance,” Mr Joho said.

ODM chairman John Mbadi said the party hoped the move by the selection panel to re-advertise the IEBC chairman’s post was out of an informed decision. “ODM will not accept another election prepared by people we sent home through demonstrations that even led to bloodshed,” said Mr Mbadi.

Director of elections Junet Mohammed reiterated that Mr Odinga was Cord’s best bet to run for president.

PRODUCE EVIDENCE

Elsewhere, Mr Odinga challenged Jubilee leaders to produce evidence if indeed they are sure he owes Mumias Sugar Company millions of shillings.

He denied claims that he has contributed to the collapse of the company.

“The corruption claims are baseless. They will not bring me down,” said Mr Odinga.

“If they have failed in tackling corruption, let them carry their own cross and stop blaming everyone who tries to point them out,” said Mr Odinga in Siaya after being crowned a Luo warrior.

Deputy President William Ruto and some Jubilee MPs from Western had accused Mr Odinga of owing the ailing sugar company Sh300 million.

But the Cord leader maintained that he does not owe the company any money, asking anyone with evidence to table it.

He was speaking at Siungu beach to mark a three-day Ramogi cultural festival. The event, which was held at Got Ramogi as a symbol of unity with the spirits of forefathers and sending their favourite son to battle, signified that Luos had high hopes in him as the preferred Cord candidate.

And in Homa Bay, Governor Cyprian Awiti’s bodyguards shot in the air on Sunday to disperse a crowd that booed him at a political rally in Homa Bay town.

The governor had earlier met another hostile crowd at a rally addressed by Mr Odinga in Waondo Primary School.

Trouble began in Homa Bay Stadium when Agriculture Minister Eliud Otieno and the deputy governor Hamilton Orata arrived at the venue, leaving behind the governor.

When Mr Awiti arrived minutes later, his vehicle was pelted with stones, forcing him to flee from the crowd.

Additional reporting by Angela Oketch