CORD insists IEBC cannot be trusted for a free, fair and credible poll

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) must be reconstituted for purposes of credibility and peaceful, fair and democratic elections in 2017, this is according to Kiminini Member of Parliament Dr. Chris Wamalwa.

Speaking during a heated debate on Citizen TV’s Power Breakfast show, Wamalwa argued that if the queries raised against IEBC are not addressed appropriately, the country risks being thrown into chaos before or after the next year’s elections.

“We need an all inclusive body that includes Jubilee, CORD, the church, civil societies and others. We need to go the Inter-party Parliamentary Group (IPPG) way. Retired President Daniel Arap Moi went that way,” said Wamalwa.

However, speaking on the same show, the Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) chair Njoroge Baiya said disbandment of the IEBC at this time would throw the country into a constitutional crisis.

“We are in a situation where we are 1 year, 3 months away from the elections. The countdown to the electoral management calendar is already underway. There has not been any substantial failure about management of the IEBC,” noted Baiya.

Wamalwa argued that people do not have confidence in the IEBC saying scandals like the Chickengate have continued to take away from the credibility of the IEBC.

“We cannot trust IEBC chair Issack Hassan to conduct this thing. He should do the honourable thing and resign,” stated the Kiminini MP.

CIOC’s Baiya dismissed Wamalwa’s statement saying  there is no tangible evidence on the table showing that the IEBC commissioners were involved in Chickengate.

Citing the nullification of the Okoa Kenya Initiative,  Baiya accused the opposition CORD of seeking for disbandment of the IEBC every time things did not go their way.

“If CORD was genuine in their concerns about the IEBC, they would go through the right procedure, provide evidence, create a petition and go to parliament. The way the country is going, it will not matter who is in the IEBC . The reforms that are happening within the electoral body will see to that. It is sad and disappointing that one of the political players are not interested in fair and electoral process,” he said.

The discussion came after Police were Monday afternoon forced to use teargas to thwart attempts by Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leaders to storm IEBC offices at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi.

There was tension at the poll body’s offices hours to the arrival of CORD leader Raila Odinga, co-principals Moses Wetangula and Kalonzo Musyoka for the much-publicised protest march with over 50 police officers deployed to cordon off the offices.

“The police should have allowed the CORD leaders to go into the IEBC offices. What the police should have done is to contain the situation. These are heroes of this country and they teargassed them. It was shameful and uncalled for,” stated Wamalwa.

Wamalwa’s statement came hot on the heels of a statement  by the Independent  Electoral and Bounderies Commission that said it is ready to meet CORD leaders and listen to their grievances on condition that the engagements are conducted in a structured manner.

In a statement to newsrooms, IEBC made clear its disapproval of the confrontation between the CORD leaders as well as supporters and the police, terming it unnecessary as the commission has been ready to engage with all stake holders but in a fruitful and harmonious manner.