Chebukati: We were Offered a Bribe to Declare Raila as President or Force a Run-off

Former IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati claims he was offered a bribe to alter the results of the 2022 presidential election in favor of Azimio candidate Raila Odinga or force a run-off.

Chebukati made the revelation on Tuesday while testifying before the tribunal appointed to probe the conduct of four IEBC commissioners in last year’s election.

He told the Justice Aggrey Muchelule-led tribunal that three Azimio leaders walked into the holding room at the national tallying centre at 3 a.m, where he was sleeping, and demanded an audience with him. 

Chebukati named the three as former Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, former Busia Senator Amos Wako and advocate Kyalo Mbobu.

"I got information from my security detail and members of staff that there are gentlemen who want to see me. They walked in uninvited as I was in the holding room. I actually told my CEO that I would take a nap for one hour and was woken up by these men," he testified.

"They introduced the purpose of the visit that they wanted to discuss about the tallying process and I told them if that's the case I would have to invite all the commissioners to discuss. The commissioners were on the floor of the auditorium and it took them only a minute or two for them to join us," he added.

Chebukati, who left IEBC last week after his six-year term expired, said Wako suggested that the commission bends a few rules and "moderate" the results.

Tuju echoed Wako's suggestion and recommended that if the commission was not ready to moderate the results, they should then force a run-off, Chebukati said. Chebukati claimed that Tuju offered a reward if their demands were met.

"The first speaker was Amos Wako who said that we should not operate in a vacuum and we should look at the bigger picture for the country and when you reach this kind of situation you can moderate results and achieve stability of the country," said Chebukati.

"Tuju said that it was necessary that we moderate these results in favor of Baba and that any contrary declaration of the results would plunge the country into chaos. I understood Baba to be Raila Odinga," he added.

"He said that in the alternative, if it was not possible to moderate the results, then we should ensure that there is a runoff. Tuju said that we consider the request then we shall be rewarded. We did not encourage him to expound the reward."

He told the tribunal that commissioner Irene Masit, who is on trial, supported the proposal by the Azimio emissaries.

"Commissioner Masit agreed with the remarks of Senator Wako and Tuju. That we should moderate the results. I said that the will of the people must be respected and live up to the oath of office," he said.