IEBC undermining Okoa Kenya, says Cord

The opposition on Monday accused the electoral commission of colluding with government officials to undermine a constitutional referendum that it is sponsoring.

Addressing reporters at Serena Hotel in Nairobi, Cord co-principals Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission was operating like a State agency and had ignored the constitutional provisions that required it to maintain and safeguard its independence. They questioned its ability to run an election free from State interference next year.

A statement read by Mr Musyoka accused the electoral body of colluding with the government to scuttle the referendum campaigns propagated by the Okoa Kenya Movement, an allegation that the ruling alliance swiftly rebuffed in a press release.

“We know that the Jubilee leaders are putting the IEBC under pressure to reject our initiative,” said Mr Musyoka. “Yet the IEBC knows the signatures we submitted were valid and more than adequate for the referendum.”

MISINFORMATION

The two expressed fears that the IEBC was under pressure to the extent that it could be swayed by misinformation that Okoa Kenya did not meet the threshold on signatures. 

Mr Kalonzo said Cord submitted 1.6 million signatures although only one million are required for the referendum.

The former vice-president claimed that Majority Leader Aden Duale (URP) and nominated MP Johnson Sakaja have made suspicious pronouncements that Cord feared may influence the IEBC’s reaction to the Okoa Kenya referendum drive.

Mr Kalonzo claimed the IEBC had of late chosen to address Cord through Jubilee leaders after the coalition leader’s an attempt to see the commission chairman flopped last week.

Mr Odinga dismissed allegations that the signatures were fake and told the IEBC to respond and clear the air on the matter without further delay.

However, in a quick rejoinder, Mr Sakaja, who is also the TNA national chairman, challenged the opposition to vouch for the disputed signatures.

Noting that Cord did not denounce the possibility of fake signatures, their only query being how Jubilee knew about them, Mr Sakaja said: “We demand that the IEBC do publish to the public the names and signatures presented to them by Cord for the people themselves to verify if indeed they appended their signatures in support of the referendum drive or if these signatures were procured fraudulently.”