Wafula Chebukati meets Nasa at night, claims DP Ruto

What you need to know:

  • Mr Ruto said Jubilee has nothing personal against Mr Chebukati but insisted that the chairman must do his work within the confines of the law.

  • According to Jubilee deputy party leader, all the issues raised by Mr Chebukati in the memo had been fully addressed by the CEO hence the chairman only wanted to create sensation over the coming fresh poll.

  • The Deputy President maintained that as Jubilee, they were not happy with the Supreme Court decision that nullified the re-election of President Kenyatta.

  • He described the judgment as “reckless and outrageous”.

Deputy President William Ruto has sensationally claimed that Wafula Chebukati, chairman of the electoral commission, has been holding night meetings with the opposition.

Although Mr Ruto did not provide any evidence about the alleged secret rendezvous, he challenged Mr Chebukati to come out and deny the claims.

MEMO

In an interview with citizen TV Sunday night, the Deputy President said a memo from Chebukati directing IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba to a explain a number of issues regarding the August poll was a product of the night meetings with the opposition.

"Chebukati has been having night meetings with the opposition. I challenge Chebukati to come out and deny the claims. The memo by Chebukati mirrors the demands by the opposition,” Mr Ruto said

"We are telling Chebukati to stop the night meetings and deliver to Kenyans a credible poll. Let him stop the monkey games and work with other commissioners to give Kenyans and election," Mr Ruto said.

Mr Chebukati has, however, termed the remarks by the DP as baseless and reckless.

'RUMOURS'

“Rumours regarding my so called night meetings with NASA are baseless and reckless,” he said in Twitter post.

Mr Ruto said Jubilee has nothing personal against Mr Chebukati but insisted that the chairman must do his work within the confines of the law.

According to Jubilee deputy party leader, all the issues raised by Mr Chebukati in the memo had been fully addressed by the CEO hence the chairman only wanted to create sensation over the coming fresh poll.

In the memo, the IEBC chair asked Mr Chiloba to come clean on some 12 issues that are deemed to have affected the August 8 polls.

"The memo was supposed to be an internal document, how then did it find its way on the press? Mr Ruto said.

JUDGMENT

The Deputy President maintained that as Jubilee, they were not happy with the Supreme Court decision that nullified the re-election of President Kenyatta.

He described the judgment as “reckless and outrageous”.

"You do not throw away the decision of the voters because other processes failed. The Supreme Court should have ordered for a recount of votes,” he said.

“There is no problem world over in criticising the decision of the court. The decision was reckless and outrageous.”

Mr Ruto accused the court of punishing innocent voters for mistakes committed by other people.

"The voter in this case was innocent and therefore should not have been punished. The role of the voter in any election is to cast the ballot, any other decision is subordinate to that of the voter," Mr Ruto said.

PROJECT TEAM

The Deputy President echoed the sentiments of the President, saying they would review the decision of the court after the October fresh poll.

"We will go to court to ask for a recount of votes in August poll, that move will happen after the repeat elections," he said.

On the sharp division that have emerged at the electoral commission, Mr Ruto asked Mr Chebukati to put his house in order adding that as political players they should not be seen to be meddling in the affairs of the commission.

"As players, we shouldn't determine those who work at IEBC. We have no preference who serves at the commission," he said.

But as Jubilee party, he said, they are opposed to the project team that was unveiled by Mr Chebukati to oversee the October 17 fresh poll, saying election is not a project and therefore should not be managed by a project team.

"We have no problem with what Chebukati is doing, we are just against decisions that are not properly made as per the law," he said