The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has responded to Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga after the latter asked Chair Wafula Chebukati to disqualify himself from next week's Mombasa and Kakamega governor elections.
Speaking in Mombasa on Wednesday, August 24, Odinga asked Chebukati to step aside and let IEBC Vice Chair Juliana Cherera preside over the two polls.
In a rejoinder, IEBC termed Odinga's statement misleading adding that Chebukati didn't have a role but the two gazetted returning officers in the two counties.
The electoral body noted that the by-elections would be presided by two returning officers for Mombasa and Kakamega counties who are Ibrahim Swalhah Yusuf and Joseph Ayatta.
"The Commission wishes to inform the public that the statements made today by Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga with regard to the role of the Chairman in the two Gubernatorial elections scheduled for Monday 29th August 2022 are misleading.
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"Gubernatorial elections are run by gazetted Returning Officers as provided for by the law. For the avoidance of doubt, Returning Officers for Mombasa and Kakamega counties are Ibrahim Swalhah Yusuf and Joseph Ayatta, respectively," IEBC said in a statement.
Speaking earlier, Odinga mentioned that Chebukati should leave the elections to be presided over by IEBC commissioners who had no favoritism further alleging that the IEBC chairman had been bribed before announcing the presidential results.
"Chebukati aliingia kwa ukumbi (Bomas) pekee yake na IEBC iko na wanachama saba. Sita hawakuwa pale. Yeye aliingia huko pekee yake maana alikuwa amepewa hongo kubwa akaenda kutangaza. Sasa tena haoni haya anasema uchaguzi wa Mombasa na Kakamega iendelee kama yeye yuko hapo?
“Tunasema hizi uchaguzi zitafanywa chini ya usimamizi wa naibu wa chairman wa IEBC. Chebukati should disqualify himself from presiding over the elections in Kakamega and Mombasa,” he stated.
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