IEBC officials came to see me, Raila Odinga says

IEBC officials came to see me, Raila Odinga says

CORD leader Raila Odinga has revealed that Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials visited him Sunday evening to try and persuade him to hold talks with them over the ongoing impasse.

Raila however said that he turned down the request saying the time for dialogue with the commissioners had ended and that the only way out for them now is to vacate office.

He thanked CORD supporters for remaining peaceful throughout the protests saying they would hold the protests twice every week if Jubilee does not heed their call for dialogue.

Monday’s protest in Nairobi was different from what has been experienced in the past weeks, with CORD leaders and their supporters marching from Uhuru Park through Kenyatta Avenue and Moi Avenue to Anniversary Towers then back to Uhuru Park without making stops or public addresses.

Unlike in the past where police stopped the protesters from going near Anniversary Towers, on Monday police officers stayed away from CORD’s path, with the only deployment being inside the offices and at the Central Police Station.

A court ruling issued earlier had allowed CORD to hold their anti-IEBC protest but prohibited them from storming the IEBC offices or forcefully evicting the commissioners from office.

Speaking at the same event, CORD co-principal Moses Wetangula told Jubilee to fast track the process of dialogue saying the window for dialogue is closing.

He further confirmed that there was an agreement between Jubilee and CORD on the future of IEBC saying it was hypocritical for President Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto to suggest otherwise.

The Kakamega Senator, in his address, advised President Kenyatta to desist from taking advise from his deputy William Ruto on the IEBC issue and instead hold discussions with CORD to ends the standoff.

He said the anti-IEBC protests should be held daily from next week to put pressure on the commissioners to resign.

CORD is in a push to have the commissioners leave office over apparent allegations of corruption and involvement in a plan to rig Uhuru Kenyatta back to office, allegations that the commission chair Issack Hassan has refuted.

While CORD has named five legislators to represent them in the dialogue process, Jubilee has remained adamant that they would not heed the call saying CORD should instead present their motion in Parliament.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has in several instances claimed that he does not have powers to disband IEBC, saying even though he also has some issues about the commission that he would want rectified; he is keen on adhering to the Constitution in the resolution of the impasse.

Other leaders present include senators James Orengo (Siaya), Anyang Nyong’o (Kisumu), Johnson Muthama (Machakos), Elizabeth Ongoro (Nominated), MPs TJ Kajwang (Ruaraka), Millie Odhiambo (Mbita) and ODM Nairobi chairman George Aladwa.

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