I’m not the one on tape: James Oswago

That is not my voice. That recording had been shown to me by the Standard Group and I responded to every single issue raised there in an extensive interview. If it is a secret record of my voice, it would also be fair to give recordings of other people.

The purported recording raises five issues:

1. Results transmission
2. Infiltration of the commission by the security agencies
3. Whether the commission had one or several registers
4. Personal relations between me and the chairman and the perception that I represented Cord and the chairman represented Jubilee
5. Whether the purported discussion is between me and a politician or not.

First one, the commission had an external expert on ICT. This is called IFES (International Foundation for Electoral Systems) who gave a guarantee to the commission one day before the elections that the system could not be interfered with and cannot fail. We know that it failed. Others (in the commission) and I were disappointed to say the least.

Second, on the infiltration of IEBC by security agencies. My position, even in that purported recording, is that our recruitment procedures for ICT staff was so rigorous that it would be virtually impossible for the infiltration to happen. An organisation like IEBC cannot know for sure whether the staff are compromised or not. But we had faith and belief in all the staff.

Thirdly, in the purported recording, reference is being made to more than one register, an issue which has been clarified by the commission at various opportunities since the General Election and the position of the Commission has basically remained the same that there was one register but had several components, for example, biometric register and non-biometric register among others.

Fourth, as a person my relationship with the chairman on strategic issues to do with the management of the General Election was perfect and in fact in the purported recording the speaker is describing the chairman as a person of integrity and very religious who cannot lie on oath.

On the chairman and myself being involved in Jubilee and Cord affairs, I can only speak for myself. In the period leading to the General Election, there was no single Cord politician I spoke to on issues to do with elections on a private basis. No one has suffered more than myself from ODM because of the results of last General Election.

It has been alleged that Jubilee paid me and the chairman millions of shillings to doctor the results. It has also been said that I did not forewarn or advise ODM on the impending outcome of the elections. How can it be that on the one hand I am reported as being pro-ODM while at the same time being the subject of so much misplaced anger and ill-founded allegations?

Key ODM politicians from Nyanza spent the whole of 2013 insulting, abusing, humiliating and wishing me all manner of ill-luck in public at funerals, market rallies and even homecoming parties. How could I be portrayed as being their agent?

Please note, Jubilee on its part also regarded me with suspicion purely on the basis of my ethnicity. In any other country, I would be a highly-prized election manager because of uncompromising independence and impartiality.

Mr Oswago was the CEO at IEBC on March 4, 2013.