[Raila Odinga in a past campaign rally. Six reasons has to why he withdrew from the race have been identified. Photo/Nation]
Opposition leader Raila Odinga highlighted six reasons that informed his decision to pull out from the October 26th elections.
Amid controversy, IEBC is yet against facing fresh headache following Wednesday’s decision by High Court to compel it to include Thirdway Alliance candidate Ekuru Aukot in the race.
But a defiant Odinga vowed to push for electoral reforms, pointing various areas he wants fixed to allow a credible and transparent poll. Among the reasons include:
1. IEBC has “refused, neglected or failed to put in place mechanisms to correct illegalities and irregularities cited by Supreme Court during the nullification of the August election.” 2. The electoral commission has been acting in bad faith, citing among other issues, the retention of service providers such as technology firm Safran/OT Morpho and printer Al Ghurair which NASA has accused of being complicit in bungling of the August poll. 3. They accused IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba, whom they call “coup plotter in chief” of still dominating operations of the commission and stifling any attempt to initiate reforms at the commission. 4. NASA says that Jubilee is firmly in charge of IEBC through four commissioners who have set out to implement the party’s agenda within the commission. 5. They took issue with the proposed amendments saying; “The ill-conceived amendments to election laws are not only unconstitutional but go against international best practice that in the middle of an elections contest one cannot change the rules and put in place rules that seek to favour him.” 6. NASA further pointed out the withdrawal of its leaders’ security saying the State has made it untenable for the candidates to campaign freely without fear of being harmed.
His decision has yet again caused sharp political divisions with President Uhuru Kenyatta maintaining that the poll will continue as scheduled.
Electoral body is set to give its final decision on the matter later on Wednesday, a move that could yet again define the political destiny of the nation.