Election was a sham, says Raila

PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI Prime Minister Raila Odinga (centre), his wife Ida, and Sports minister Ababu Namwamba at United Christian Ministries Church in Kawangware, on March 17, 2013.  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By DAVE OPIYO dopiyo@ke.nationmedia.com AND JOHN NJAGI jnjagi@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Monday, March 18  2013 at  00:30

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has sharply criticised the electoral commission for the way in which it conducted the March 4 General Election, describing the process as worse than the bungled 2007 polls.

Mr Odinga said despite expressing confidence that it would conduct a free and fair election, the Independent, Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) presided over a ‘sham’ process that unfairly denied him victory.

The PM, however stated that he had already lodged a strong case at the Supreme Court and was confident that it would overturn the declaration of Uhuru Kenyatta as Kenya’s fourth president.

“What we went through (elections) was a sham. In fact, the current electoral commission is more disgraceful than the Electoral Commission of Kenya that was led by the late Samuel Kivuitu,” Mr Odinga said after attending a church service at the Nairobi’s United Christian Ministries International in Kawangware on Sunday.

“The darkest hour normally comes before dawn. We have been through this before and I am sure that we shall prevail. If the Lord is on our side, nobody will be against us,” added the PM.

Mr Odinga said it was a paradox that the same manner he was denied victory in 2007 was the same way he was being denied now.

“Five years later, we are faced with a similar situation. However, this time, we have our facts and we have gone to the courts to seek their advice.

The electoral commission declared Mr Kenyatta president elect after he garnered 6,173,433 votes against the PM’s 5,340,546.

Speaking at the Baptist Church on Ngong Road, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka said the Supreme Court had a chance to shape the country’s history depending on how it handled the presidential petition before it.

He declared he was totally behind Mr Odinga in pursuing justice at the courts, saying he was very angry that some Kenyans decided to tamper with the electoral process.

“It pains my heart to know what happened. Kenyans who are responsible for this will form a sad chapter in the country’s history,” he said.