Wetangula accuses Jubilee of playing manoeuvres with IEBC

CORD co-principal and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has accused the Jubilee government of ‘playing maneuvers’ with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), a year to the 2017 General Elections.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s Cheche Show Wednesday morning, Wetangula claimed that IEBC commissioners could not be trusted to conduct a free and fair poll.

“IEBC commissioners have been dangled with carrots. At one point they were invited and told if they were ready to go home with 25 million shillings each and have a handshake they were ready to let them go,” claimed Wetangula.

Asked if he could back up his claims, Wetangula said his sources were credible. “I never say what I don’t know.”

Wetangula reiterated that there should be trust between the electoral body and political parties, insisting that the commissioners should leave office.

“The relationship of trust is what determines fairness and an acceptable outcome. It is not only CORD that has issues with the IEBC. What is disturbing us is the inability of IEBC to satisfy Kenyans. IEBC made a lot of mistakes in 2013, including the alleged collapse of IT equipment. To date, they have never told Kenyans what happened. IEBC ought to have carried a thorough audit. What we are hearing is that they are ready for the next elections. What have they done to instill confidence among Kenyans?” posed Wetangula.

“IEBC acknowledged they had problems in 2013. Those things were noted and they did an internal audit. They have a comprehensive report on the challenges they had in 2013,” responded IEBC’s communication consultant and Cheche panelist David Makali.

Speaking on the same show, Kiambu Sentaor Kimani Wamatangi said the IEBC was formed under the constitution and must remain in office.

“We know and are aware that upon receipt of acceptable grounds saying these commissioners need to go home, we will be comfortable with that,” said the Kiambu Senator.

“If we are to go with CORD’s precedent, are we trying to tell somebody that if they are unhappy with for example, a decision made by the lands commission, they can go to their offices are eject them? The law needs to be followed. We as Jubilee, right now, unless proven otherwise, have faith in the IEBC. They have conducted their mandate,” added Wamatangi.

The hot debate focused on whether IEBC commissioners should leave office and touched on the recent protests lead by the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy against the electoral body.

“That law is clear about how to can get a commissioner out of office, there has to be prove of abuse of law,  misconduct and incompetence,” said Wamatangi.

“The IEBC needs to instill confidence in Kenyans. We are talking about a big election in 2017. What is the bigger picture? We need to have a bipartisan approach,” said Wetangula.

In their view, the IEBC did the right thing. Should one resign because the decision they took is unpopular?” posed Makali.

In recent weeks, CORD has held protests against IEBC as they continue with their push to the electoral body commissioners vacate office saying they do not believe they are in a position to hold free and fair polls.

“We still have a political card to play. Our card is to bring sanity in the minds of these obstinate Jubilee leaders, and telling them look, you can dig as much as you can, but sometimes digging only makes things worse. We need dialogue, we are ready to talk to you,” said Wetangula.

“What we know as the way forward is if the process is followed, and a petition is brought to Parliament. And if the petition has any merit and we find IEBC commissioners have to go, then we shall vote for them to go. The door is not as closed as CORD might want us to believe. Right now the people who have asked for this dialogue is CORD. They have to show us that what they have been saying is truthful,” said Wamatangi.

On Tuesday, CORD leader Raila Odinga said he had written to President Uhuru Kenyatta requesting for dialogue on issues of national interest.