Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has jumped to the defence of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) following the clearance of former Footballer MacDonald Mariga to contest in the Kibra by-elections.
In an interview with NTV's Am Live Tuesday, Khalwale said that the commission has not declared Mariga the winner of the exercise. He challenged other contestants in the race to up their game before the exercise to match Mariga’s standards.
“IEBC has only allowed Mariga to run he hasn’t won the election. It’s now up to the others to up their game,” he said.
Khalwale who has since announced that he will back Deputy President William Ruto in 2022, said that those attacking IEBC have ill motives.
He claimed that the leaders against Mariga’s clearance do not want to give the people of Kibra the freedom to choose their leaders of choice.
The remarks of the former lawmaker didn’t augur well with Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu who accused the commission of lowering the bar.
He reiterated that there are some standards the commission must stick to if it wants free and fair elections to be conducted in Kenya.
“They are lowering the bar on the integrity of elected leaders. We should drop the IEBC,” he retorted.