Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has come out to assert that there was no general election even as Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya team takes to the Supreme Court to challenge William Ruto’s win.
While citing the postponed polls in Mombasa and Kakamega, Kalonzo insinuated that among other concerns, a general election cannot occur without the whole country exercising its democratic voting right.
Speaking during a church service in Donholm, Nairobi, Kalonzo took issue with the decision of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati to postpone elections in the counties; terming it an election malpractice.
“As far as I am concerned, the lawyer in me tells me that this general election is not over. What is happening in Mombasa, Kakamega and the four constituencies?
“I have never seen a situation where the body charged with elections ends up shortchanging the whole country. It is arguable that no general election has taken place. The constitution never anticipated that there would be such a by-election,” Kalonzo stated.
He also took issue with Chebukati’s reason to postpone the elections in the area affected reiterating that no amount of intimidation is enough to postpone an election.
Chebukati indefinitely suspended gubernatorial elections in Kakamega and Mombasa counties.
The IEBC Chair stated that the suspension of the polls, which had been slated for a later date due to mistakes by the printer on respective ballot papers, was necessitated by alleged harassment and profiling of election officials.
Chebukati claimed that following the attack on elections officials at Bomas of Kenya before the announcement of the results of the presidential elections, most IEBC officials now fear reporting to work.
“This has instilled fear within the staff who are now unable to report to the office for duty. This harassment must stop forthwith,” Chebukati said.
“Given the prevailing circumstances, the Commission has postponed the by-elections slated for 23rd August 2022, to a date to be announced through a gazette notice,” Chebukati said.
Also postponed are elections for members of the National Assembly in Kitui Rural constituency (Kitui county), Kacheliba constituency (West Pokot county), Pokot South constituency (West Pokot county) and Rongai constituency (Nakuru county).
Elections for the Member of County Assembly Ward in Nyaki West (North Imenti constituency – Meru county) and Kwa Njenga(Embakasi South constituency – Nairobi county) have also been suspended.
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