Leave IEBC alone, Linturi tells Mudavadi

Igembe South MP Mithaka Linturi has told off National Super Alliance (NASA) co-principle Musalia Mudavadi over his recent poll rigging allegations, saying the Opposition leader should sit back and let the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Comission (IEBC) to its work.

Mudavadi had on Monday accused IEBC of reshuffling returning officers with ill intent, arguing that the reassignments were part of rigging plot.

Rubbishing these claims, Linturi told Mudavadi that citizens – not IEBC – will have the final say come August 8.

“I’ve heard Mudavadi said that NASA will not accept the outcome of the General Elections. He claims that the government has planned to doctor poll results because IEBC has made some changes, specifically affecting the overseeing of the results. The citizens alone are the ones who will decide who win on August 8,” he said.

Shifting focus on the NASA lineup that was unveiled on 28 May where the one-time Vice President was listed as a Chief Prime Minister, Linturi questioned the validity of the proposed roll, arguing that it was unconstitutional.

“You have been deceived that you will be given the Chief Minister role (if NASA takes office). There is no position like that in the constitution,” Linturi said.

Mudavadi had taken issue with IEBC’s placement of returning officers ahead of the August 8 polls, arguing that there was ethnic imbalance in the postings.

“Is IEBC telling Kenyans that only members of a single community could be found within its staff to qualify for posting to western? Do they, for instance, have better geopolitical and linguistic knowledge of the region than any other IEBC officers within IEBC?” he questioned.

The NASA leader argued that since returning officers play a key role in the electoral process, IEBC should ensure transparency in their recruitment and placement.

“Returning Officers are a key cog in the management, transparency and creditability of elections. This is more so given their new status in law as the final arbiter of final results to be pronounced at the constituency level,” read his statement to newsrooms.

He asked the poll body to revoke the postings.

IEBC is yet to respond to Mudavadi’s allegations.

Written by Wahome Gitonga