[President Uhuru Kenyatta in a past rally. A political analyst says his decision to defend IEBC officials was a set up by opposition leader Raila Odinga. Photo/Nation]
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to defend a section of IEBC officials implicated by opposition team NASA of bungling elections may have triggered the current political impasse, says Moseti Moseti.
Days after the Supreme Court nullified presidential elections, opposition leader Raila Odinga launched a campaign targeting removal of a number of officials among them CEO Ezra Chiloba.
But Uhuru’s persistent defense of the electoral officials may have even hardened Odinga’s stand of electoral reforms, which has led to the current stalemate.
“Uhuru should have justified the reforms if he won genuinely and this would have eased issues. Odinga would have had minimal time to campaign.
“The simple trap by launching a war on IEBC has now led to all these. Should have Uhuru agreed, he would have even had a slight advantage due to incumbency with limited days for repeat polls,” he said.
With IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati having ruled out ability to deliver fair elections and subsequent exit of commissioner Akombe, October 26th polls remains just but a doubt.
The country could also plunge into unprecedented constitutional crisis should the commission fail to hold elections before November 1st.