Kenya: Odinga to Contest Result, Appeals for Peace

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Headlines Sunday, March 10th, 2013

Nairobi — Outgoing Prime Minister Raila Odinga who came second to Uhuru Kenyatta in the presidential election, vowed on Saturday to contest the results in the Supreme Court, alleging “massive tampering” of the March 4 vote.

He said that every instrument deployed by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) failed and that there was interference with the vote register following failure of the electronic voter identification kits.

He claimed that voter numbers were reduced in their strongholds citing Ndhiwa Constituency while they were increased in the strongholds of the Jubilee coalition.

“This is not the time to point to the other examples of rampant illegality. That time will come… shortly we will move to court to challenge the outcome that was announced by the IEBC,” he said moments after the commission announced the result.

“It is clear that a constitutionally sanctioned process of electing the new set leaders to take us to the next level has been thwarted by another tainted election,” added Odinga who was flanked by fellow coalition principal Moses Wetangula and businessman S.K Macharia.

A calm looking Odinga, dressed in a blue suit admitted that he would have readily conceded defeat if ‘IEBC attempted to deliver a reasonably honest election’

He insisted that agents deployed by the Coalition for Reform and Democracy to the national tallying centre were kicked out and could not verify the results IEBC was announcing.

Odinga who has seven days starting Saturday to file the petition said that he would respect the ruling of the Supreme Court even if it went against him.

“We only want to lead Kenyans if they want us to. We have no other vested interests,” added Odinga whose running mate Kalonzo Musyoka was away attending the burial of the former chairman of the Electoral Commission of Kenya, Samuel Kivuitu.

Odinga called on supporters to maintain calm; to respect the rule of law and to look upon each other as brothers and sisters.

“Any violence now could destroy the country forever, and that would not serve anyone’s interests,” Odinga stressed.

Capital FM
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