Mudavadi berates IEBC for poll violence
Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi has accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for failing to take action against politicians over violence witnessed during the Kibra by-elections.
Mudavadi accused the commission of taking “too long” to sanction either political party or individuals associated with the violence.
“IEBC is taking too long to swing into action. Until they show that they have some teeth and not giving threats, they will be a re-emergence of the rule of jungle during any electoral process,” he said during an interview with a local TV station on Monday.
“This is what we have been saying, that is the cause of conflict since 1992 and 1997 which escalated in 2007 elections, we saw pockets of it in 2017, all this is happening but the electoral body is not sanctioning anyone,” he added.
At the same time, Mudavadi blamed ODM leader Raila Odinga for killing the opposition and joining the government through the backdoor. Without revealing details, the ANC leader stated that there is a serious breach of trust that has occurred on the National Super Alliance which has far reaching implications.
“How many of us are living to the original objectives and principles of Nasa,” he posed. “NASA had not formed the government, should have automatically translated into opposition. We are seeing a lot of issues and challenges being carried through parliamentary processes without the opposition raising any serious concerns,”
Nevertheless, Mudavadi’s sentiments on politically-instigated violence come barely four days after Deputy President William Ruto sustained attacks on ODM party characterising its leader Raila Odinga as a merchant of violence operating a terrorist gang in the constituency.
Ruto said the only strategy and structure ODM party had which largely succeeded to win the mini-polls was violence chaos mayhem and terror meted out by organised Raila’s militia the same instruments used by terrorists organisations including outlawed groups.
“As Kenyans we demand that ‘Tinga’/his party unconditionally, unequivocally and publicly renounce the culture of violence, chaos, terror their signature modus operandi as witnessed in Kibra and unreservedly apologise to victims past and present for their hurt and loss,” he demanded in a tweet posted on Saturday.
He added: “President Kenyatta and I decided that PEV that had become synonymous with elections since 1992 must come to an end and it did. Tinga must bring ODM’s primitive and retrogressive signature culture of violence and chaos to an end and disband baba’s militia to show their commitment to handshake,”
On Thursday as the polls were underway at Kibra, rowdy group of youth unleashed fear by harassing, intimidating and beating up Jubilee party political rivals suspected of bribing voters at polling stations.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa and former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale were some of the victims of the group that claimed to be protecting ODM votes from manipulation.
Dagoretti South MP Simba Arati who was captured in an amateur video recorded at one of the polling stations asking a frightened Barasa if he wanted to “kukimbizwa tena” (run again)
Barasa had been attacked and chased from Mashimoni Polling Centre alongside his Kapseret counterpart Oscar Sudi.
Barasa is heard in the clip beseeching with Arati, and telling him that “we are colleagues; we are friends” before the youth descended on him.
The Dagoretti North lawmaker has, however, denied unleashing the group on his colleague, saying he is the one who protected the Kimilili MP from further beatings.
“If it were not for me, we will be talking of different events concerning Didmus Barasa I protected them including Garissa Women representative Anab Subow and her Isiolo Counterpart Rehema Jaldesa,” Arati said yesterday during a thanksgiving ceremony for Kibra MP-elect Benard Otieno Okoth alias Imran at DC grounds.
