NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug, 20 – Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga has said that the country’s democratic fabric has been tainted and that justice must prevail during a meeting with religious leaders at this Karen residence in Nairobi.
Odinga who met with the inter-religious council leadership said that even though he does not agree with the outcome of the presidential elections, Kenyans must continue to maintain peace as his political faction heads to the corridors of justice to petition the presidential results.
The Supreme Court of Kenya is said to play host to yet another presidential petition case after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati declared UDA’s William Ruto president-elect.
“We want to know the truth in terms of what happened in our country because many people have been shocked, many people are distraught because of what happened,” said Odinga.
Odinga said that despite some celebrating the outcome of the presidential polls, there are glaring gaps as to how the polls were conducted and as such must be resolved in a court of law.
“The referees that were there said some won others said others won, we do not know the truth. It appears this only happens in Kenya. Those mandated to conduct elections are doing things that are embarrassing us, this shows that our democracy has a long way to go,”
“Others are saying there is a president-elect, yet there are others in the commission who have not given a united response on the matter, this thing is embarrassing us in front of the whole world…but we have said we do not want violence in our country, we want peace,”
The head of the Anglican church, Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit hailed Odinga for promoting peace saying that the courts must be allowed to do their job.
“We have had an opportunity to interact and looking at what is happening in our country and we have been assured the country is at peace because of their performance n terms of advising the electorate that we need a peaceful country and we can confirm this family stands for peace,”
“They have decided to pursue truth and justice through the legal system of the courts which is what we have been advocating and crying for..that instead of people going to the streets in Kenya let us pursue to have our democracy in a way that we know ah happened and transpired,” he said.
“We have been able to pray for the needs of this country. The main role of IEBC is to prove all was well, and the truth is known. When the petitioners go to court they hope to learn the truth and if this is done they will be grateful,” said Martin Kivuva Musonde.
The tight presidential race saw Ruto emerge victorious in the announcement made by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati.
Chebukati said that Ruto garnered 7,176,141 votes representing 50.49 per cent of the total votes cast nationwide.
“He achieved the minimum number of 39 counties at 25 per cent,” he said.
“In accordance with the constitution and the law, I Wafula Chebukati, Chairperson of the IEBC, hereby declare that Ruto William Samoei, has been duly elected as the president of the Republic of Kenya under the provisions of article 138 of the constitution in the presidential election held on August 9, 2022,”
Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga emerged second in the race garnering, 6,942,930 votes. This represents 48.85 per cent of the total votes cast.
Other candidates in the race included Roots Party’s George Wajackoyah who garnered 61,969 representing 0.44 per cent of the total votes cast. He came in third in the race.
Agano party’s David Mwaure Waihiga who came in fourth garnered 31,987 votes which represents 0.23 per cent of the total votes cast.
“That is why we have decided to go to the Supreme Court and present our evidence that the elections were a joke. I want to do this to defend our democracy, which many fought and died for. It is our responsibility, those of us that remain here to ensure, what happened does not return us to where we came from,”
The deadline to file the presidential petition is on Monday, August, 22, at 2 pm.
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