[Ruiru MP Esther Githongo in a past event. She has challenged ODM leader Raila Odinga to drop his presidential bid and chair IEBC. Photo/the-star]
Ruiru MP Esther Gathogo has asked Opposition leader Raila Odinga to drop his presidential bid and instead seek for a job as a Commissioner at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The legislator's advice to Raila comes days after the Opposition announced that they will have a parallel tallying centre during the forthcoming elections.
In a telephone interview with the Star Newspaper, Gathogo noted that tallying and announcement of election results is a preserve role of IEBC unde law.
“The opposition leaders should then drop from the race and assume the duties of the IEBC because the rule of law must be respected and it’s clear in the Constitution that only the electoral body is responsible for the voting, tallying and releasing of results,” she said.
“It’s against the law and a violation of the Constitution. Just last year they held demonstrations to have the IEBC disbanded and new commissioners recruited. Now they have declared that they have no confidence in the constitutional body they fought for in the streets,” she added.
She further cautioned that the move by the Opposition would throw the country into anarchy and violence.
“Kenyans trust and believe that the IEBC will conduct a free, fair and transparent election. Unless the opposition has other plans for the country, they should abandon their plans to have a parallel tallying centre,” she stated.