While Kenyatta has said he is ready for the election, his challenger Odinga has insisted on the need for reforms at the electoral commission—including resignations or sacking of some of the officials now under probe, arguing that they are bound to repeat the same mistakes that led to the cancellation of the presidential results. Photo/FILE.
In a statement, IGAD Executive Secretary Mahboub Maalim says recent developments that undermine people’s confidence IEBC’s ability to manage the fresh elections put Kenya on a dangerous path.
Similarly, calls to boycott the elections and the unrealistic demands to frustrate IEBC from conducting the elections will harm the country.
“Sabotaging IEBC or boycotting the elections will put Kenya in a constitutional crisis and likely on a path to an unconstitutional change of government,” he said.
At the same time, IGAD adds it is confident that IEBC can executive its constitutional mandate to facilitate the expression by Kenyans of their sovereignty.
“We urge all actors in Kenya to reject those who would seek to interfere with the constitutional order by seeking to disrupt or prevent the court-mandated fresh election, thus putting in peril democratic change of government and ushering in a crisis from which unscrupulous actors can seek an undemocratic change of government.”
In its report following the General elections, IGAD said the annulled presidential elections had been conducted in a peaceful, orderly and transparent manner.
On September 1, the Supreme Court annulled the August 8 presidential election outcome – which had given President Uhuru Kenyatta a win- on grounds of irregularities and ordered for a fresh election within 60 days. The ruling was made after Opposition leader Raila Odinga filed a petition challenging Kenyatta’s re-election arguing that the poll was marred by massive irregularities.
A fresh vote is now slated for October 26 despite a tussle by the opposition chief who has insisted on electoral reforms before the new vote.
While Kenyatta has said he is ready for the election, his challenger Odinga has insisted on the need for reforms at the electoral commission—including resignations or sacking of some of the officials now under probe, arguing that they are bound to repeat the same mistakes that led to the cancellation of the presidential results.
“NASA remains ready for a contest with Uhuru but only when the irreducible minimums we have put out are met,” Odinga said Friday, when he declared that “with every passing day, it is getting clear that the conditions will not be met and so there will be no elections.”
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