[Opposition leader Raila Odinga. He asked his supporters to boycott the Thursday repeat polls. Courtesy: The Star]
Political commentator Sam Omwenga has termed Opposition chief Raila Odinga's move to withdraw from the just concluded Thursday polls as "a political blunder."
In a detailed opinion editorial published with The Star Newspaper on Saturday, Omweng argued that it would have been prudent for the NASA leader to partake in the polls despite underlying credibility issues raised within the IEBC.
According to Omwenga, the Supreme Court had assured all political players of electoral justice should IEBC commit electoral malpractices as was the case during the August general elections.
"By deciding to boycott the election, however, Raila has forfeited ownership of these noble notions that no doubt will now be tossed into the dustbin of history. It’ll take another 50 years to even come near where we got to on the day the Supreme Court rendered its historic decision," he opined.
"There was absolutely no reason for Raila to have boycotted the election and the one he consistently has given — a flawed IEBC — simply flies in the face of the fact the very Supreme Court that rendered the historic decision told him and the world, to paraphrase, “go out there, try again and if they rig you out again, come back here and we’ll hand you another nullification.” he added.
Upon his withdrawal from the presidential race, Mr Odinga asked his supporters to boycott the repeat polls, citing lack of electoral reforms within the IEBC.
Evidently, his calls were needed to, with IEBC recording a low voter turnout in most parts of the country.