Vote on election law rigged, say opposition politicians

Cord on Friday dismissed as rigged the vote on the controversial election laws passed by the Senate on Thursday night and summoned over 10,000 opposition aspirants for elective posts to deliberate on the next move.

The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill was passed after robust debate during which tempers occasionally flared.

Opposition politicians, led by Cord co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula, said voting in the Senate was rigged and criticised Speaker Ekwee Ethuro for presiding over what they called an illegality.

The leaders, who are set to meet at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi on Wednesday, are expected to discuss the way forward and decide on mass action and how it will be managed in all parts of the country. The aspirants are expected to be the agents of any decision passed.

'ELECTORAL FRAUD'

According to Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetang’ula, a decision authorising nominated Senator Hosea Ochwang'i to vote on behalf of Kisii Senator Chris Obure, who was absent, despite the existence of a previous letter authorising only nominated Senator Janet Ongera to do so, amounted to electoral fraud.

“What happened in the Senate was outright rigging and this is what we must ultimately stop despite the Jubilee government’s efforts to facilitate it,” said Mr Musyoka.

He criticised Jubilee for attempting to violate the Constitution by overturning the will of the people for what he called individual gains.

Mr Musyoka, who led the group that also included former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to act in good faith and consider national unity by refusing to sign the new law.

REJECT BAD LAW

“I want to urge the President not to drink from the poisonous chalice. He must reject this bad law in the interest of peace and for the good of our country,” said Mr Musyoka.

He said the world was watching, adding that the passage of the contentious legislation was to aid electoral fraud in 2017.

“We will not allow a situation where stealing elections becomes the order of the day. This was a negotiated document. We agreed that there was not supposed to be a dot changed,” said Mr Musyoka.

The Wiper Democratic Party leader announced that all Cord aspirants for the presidency, governorships, Senate, National Assembly and county assemblies will meet on Wednesday next week to decide on the way forward.

BOMAS MEETING

“In view of all that has happened, I am calling upon all our aspirants in ODM, Wiper and Ford Kenya who are seeking to run for various seats to meet at the Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday to dialogue on the way forward,” said Mr Musyoka.

The three parties have close to 10,000 aspirants seeking various positions.

Earlier, ODM had planned to invite party aspirants to Nairobi to discuss party primaries.

Mr Wetang’ula regretted the Senate's decision and urged Kenyans to be ready to resist the move and stand against injustices.

“All Kenyans must be ready to stand firmly with what is right. It is now obvious that the current leadership is determined to rig the election,” he said.