We dont need IEBC to win elections DP Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto has refuted claims by opposition coalition CORD that Jubilee is planning to use the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to influence the outcome of the 2017 elections.

Speaking at a Church service at Dagoretti in Nairobi, Ruto said that they do not need IEBC to win the next elections, saying their win is fully dependent on the electorate.

“With or without IEBC the next election is already determined. As Jubilee we don’t need IEBC to win the next election because they don’t vote, we need the vote of Kenyans,” said Ruto.

“CORD should note that they will be competing with us in the elections and not IEBC and they should therefore leave the commission alone.”

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria in his address said that Raila Odinga should blame himself for failing to win past elections saying the problem is not with electoral bodies.

“If your child tells you, every day, that his pen has been stolen, as a parent you should ask whether the problem is the pen, the thief or the child,” stated Kuria metaphorically.

He promised to marshal Jubilee supporters to also march to IEBC headquarters at Anniversary Towers on Monday to counter CORD’s planned march.

Other leaders present at the service are Nairobi Women Representative Rachel Shebesh, Senator Mike Mbuvi ‘Sonko’, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri, Water CS Eugene Wamalwa, Mining CS Dan Kazungu among other leaders.

Ruto’s sentiments come amid a pronouncement by CORD that they would storm IEBC offices on Monday to push for the approval of Okoa Kenya signatures that were rejected by the electoral commission.

Led by Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama, the leaders stated that they would not relent in their push for the verification of the signatures, saying they are ready to camp at the offices until their demands are met.

In March last year, CORD’s Okoa Kenya drive was dealt a blow after IEBC ruled that only 891,000 out of the 1.6 million signatures submitted by the coalition were valid, falling short of the required 1 million signatures.

The announcement elicited heated criticism from CORD with its leaders claiming the electoral commission was working with Jubilee Government to frustrate its referendum push.

@benjaminwafula