2017 poll boycott:DEPUTY President William Ruto yesterday accused former Prime Minister Raila Odinga of making “careless utterances aimed at causing civil disorder.” Ruto said Raila had the democratic right to express his views but should confine himself to the constitution for resolving any dispute.
He said that Cord leaders could boycott the elections but should not incite Kenyans to civil disorder. “There are people who are happy to see disorder, but it is not one of the ways to build the nation. Kenyans are now wiser after the 2007 elections when we almost lost this country. Nobody can persuade Kenyans to go down that road again,” Ruto said during an interview with Citizen television on Sunday night.
On Sunday Raila that Cord would consider boycotting future elections unless there were fundamental reforms to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
“We will withdraw our candidates from contesting because we either have competent elections, or we don’t,” said Raila on his return from Australia. Raila repeated these sentiments yesterday at Lolora in Laikipia North during the homecoming party of ODM MP Matthew Lekidime.
“We are not shying away from the polls as some people think but we will not have any elections being conducted by IEBC,” he said referring to Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang’s statement that Cord will ensure that no polls are held if the current IEBC team is not overhauled.
“Every citizen who believes in the rule of law must respect the constitution. The current IEBC was set up by the Tenth Parliament. Kibaki and Raila after consultation forwarded the names of the commissioners to Parliament. Raila has previously said he has no confidence in the judiciary, legislature now IEBC. Which institution does he respect?,” asked Ruto.
The constitution currently guarantees the IEBC commissioners security of tenure for six years. To disband the IEBC or remove commissioners, a petition has to be filed in Parliament.
If Parliament grants the petition, then the President has to appoint a tribunal to decide the fate of the commissioners. Ruto said the IEBC led by chairman Issack Hassan had done “fabulous work” during the last general elections and was “very objective”.
He said the commission had presided over numerous credible by-elections and the 2008 referendum before the March elections. “He (Hassan) presided over the referendum which we lost but we accepted the results without blaming anybody. We cannot now at this time blame individuals,” Ruto said.
In Lolora yesterday Raila criticised Jubilee for failing to fulfill its one hundred days pledges. He said that nothing has happened with education and health sector where Kenyans had been promised change.
“How can you tell Kenyans that maternity fees have been dropped and yet there are no hospitals and enough doctors? They should have first created more hospitals instead and then waive the fees,” he argued.
He said the free laptops project was not practicable at present. “We are not opposed to new technology for our children but how can you give them laptops when even their teachers have not had a chance to see one? We should first give teachers the education they need to transfer to the children,” he said.
– the-star.co.ke
