Raila Threatens to Boycott October 17th Repeat Election

Opposition Chief Raila Odinga has once again threatened to boycott the repeat presidential poll scheduled for October 17th unless the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) fires individuals who bungled the August 8th election.

Speaking in a press briefing in Nairobi on Thursday where he received delegations from Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Isiolo, who defected to Nasa from Jubilee Party, the former Prime Minister said what happened during last month's election is criminal and all those involved, including Jubilee “mandarins”, belong in jail.

“They just wanted to steal from Kenyans. Kenyans endured a lot to vote but their efforts did not count because people stole their votes. Do not chest thump how you won. You did not win; shame on you!” Odinga said.

The National Super Alliance leader also asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to stop misleading Kenyans that the Supreme Court unfairly overturned his victory.

Raila said that there will be no election if the electoral body fails to sack officials involved in bungling of August 8th election.

Raila appeared emboldened by serious allegations that IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati wants commission CEO Ezra Chiloba to respond to regarding the presidential election that was annulled by the Supreme Court.

In a leaked memo to Chiloba, the chairman raises questions on the acquisition of satellite phones, results transmission failures, creation of an illegal account bearing his details and why 595 polling stations failed to relay results for the presidential election.

“Areas with no network were specifically supplied with these devices. However, none of these ever worked. Respond and explain what occasioned the massive failure in the devices that would have been used in transmitting the results,” Mr Chebukati said in the memo dated September 5, 2017.

Raila said that the issues raised by the Chebukati vindicate the fears raised by NASA and the Supreme Court while nullifying the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“This memo confirms what we went to court for. They spent a lot of money putting systems in place that did not work,” Odinga said.

He added: “It is the reason the Jubilee leadership has been busy talking about numbers they do not have.”