NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 17- Azimio La Umoja One Kenya has moved in to consolidate its numbers across the region as they seek legal recourse over the presidential results declaration.
Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka called on unity even as the coalition chart the way forward to seek justice as they push to invalidate the move by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati to announce William Ruto as president elect.
“The most important matter is to stand in solidarity and to stand together. In fact we have sang that nchi hii bado ni mapambano hadi haki patinate(in this country it’s a contest until we find justice,” he said while issuing an address at KICC.
With close to twenty-six political parties having joined the coalition, the fear is that the elected leaders from the affiliate parties might decamp to Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
More so that the fate of their quest for justice through legal and constitutional avenues might not be determined by the time MPs will have been sworn in and the house leadership will have been chosen.
Given their control of numbers in the National Assembly and the Council of Governors it will be key for Azimio la Umoja One Kenya flag bearer Raila Odinga to maintain the control whether he will be successful in his quest for justice or not.
“We are guided by what is in the control of the registrar of political parties because we have two coalitions that are properly deposited at the registrar of political parties,” Kalonzo said.
Already, Ten Independent Member of Parliament elected during the just concluded general election have joined President-elect William Ruto’s camp.
Ruto made the announcement after chairing a meeting with all Kenya Kwanza leaders at his Karen residence on Tuesday.
During the meeting attended by 163 Members of Parliament under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and 24 Senators, Ruto stated that his administration will ensure “no part of this country is divided and also bring government developments in each and every part of this country.”
Yesterday,Odinga rejected the presidential results announced by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati on Monday.
Speaking during a press conference at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Odinga stated that the figures announced by Chebukati were “null and void and must be quashed by a court of law.”
“In our view there is neither a legally and validly declared winner nor a president-elect. What we saw yesterday was a traversing and blatant disregard of the law of Kenya,” he stated.
Odinga pointed out that the conduct of Chebukati to solely declare the results without the consensus of the rest of the commissioners was a drawback to democracy terming it a grave ‘legal and political’ crisis.
“In 2017 the court nullified the elections because of the misconduct of the IEBC. What we saw yesterday was travesty and a blatant disregard of the constitution,” Odinga noted.
According to Odinga, the weighty decision of the commission which includes tallying of the results was not a unilateral decision to be made the poll agency chair.
On Monday, Chebukati announced United Democratic Alliance Leader William Ruto accompanied by minority of the commissioners who include Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu as well IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein.
“Unless a unanimous decision is reached, a decision on any matter before the commission must be by a majority of the members present and voting,” Odinga stated.
Odinga elaborated that the IEBC Chair singlehandedly handled the tallying of the presidential result denying the rest of the commissioners’ access to the process and only involved them at the finalization of the process.
