Section of Kenyans in Diaspora Wants Presidential Poll Results Announced at Constituency Level

A section of Kenyans living in the diaspora have joined calls by the opposition coalition National Super Alliance (NASA) to have the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announce presidential polls results at constituency level in the August 8th polls.

The group, led by Raila Odinga's presidential campaign liaison committee co-chair Joseph Nyarango, said that this will ensure no one rigs the elections.

"We congratulate the High Court judges Weldon Korir, Aggrey Muchelule and Enoch Chacha Mwita who declared null and void, the law that required presidential election results to be subjected to alterations at the national tallying centre," Nyarango said.

He added, "It should also be remembered that, the tallying of votes at the constituency level will allow Kenyan voters to own the process and witness how their votes are counted rather than leaving the crucial task to the top IEBC officials."

The team commended the United Nations special rapporteur Maina Kiai, Khelef Khalifa and Tirop Kitur, for challenging the law which left the presidential election results at the mercy of top IEBC officials.

"We now challenge Wafula Chebukati, the IEBC boss and his team to come clean on their motives for challenging the ruling made by the three judges," Nyarango said. Nyarango further said that Kenyans were tired of constitutional bodies siding with government instead of acting as independent bodies to safeguard national interests.

"We want to remind the (IEBC), that the demand by NASA to have the results declared at the 41,000 gazetted polling stations countrywide, as the final results in the presidential election is in tandem with the law and, any move to alter it will be a travesty to democracy and the spirit of free, fair, credible and verifiable election," said Fred Osewe of the Raila campaign diaspora team.

He added, "We wonder which interests the IEBC is serving when Kenyans expected the electoral body to portray neutrality in the management of an election. Kenyans cannot condone any acts of omission or commission that might submerge the country into another post-election fiasco like the one experienced in 2007."

"The relaying of final results from constituencies under the supervision of returning officers, agents, the media, internal and external election observers is the most transparent way of managing an election. Any steps to reverse this will be a tragedy to the country," Nyarango said. Nyarango cited the US where votes are counted at polling centers where the media captures the results as they trickle in.

"We need to promote this type of system in Kenya because of its authenticity and accuracy. The system will also ensure that, returning officers, election observers and agents are key in safeguarding and upholding a free and fair election," Nyarango said.

They challenged IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati to come clean on why he wants the results tallied at the national Center in Nairobi. "It's sad that when a mechanism geared towards safeguarding free and fair election is put in place, resistance from the electoral body and the government hits a crescendo. The jubilee government is trying to use every means to manage the election for a favorable outcome," Osewe said.

The team further lashed out at the Interior Cabinet Secretary accusing him of being biased against the opposition. "Nkaissery has in the past threatened NASA leaders with arrests merely because they are critical to the Jubilee government. It must also be remembered that civil servants are supposed to serve all Kenyans with impartiality irrespective of their political leanings," Nyarango said.