Miguna attacks Raila for defending Cherera, 3 embattled IEBC commissioners
Lawyer and Activist Miguna Miguna has criticised Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition supremo Raila Odinga for defending the four dissenting Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners.
Taking to his official Twitter account, Miguna who is a fierce critic of Raila, stated that it was wrong for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) boss to defend the commissioners adding that he was subverting the rule of law and the will of the people.
The firebrand lawyer further alluded that Raila's move was an act of desperation.
"It is bad manners and an act of desperation for Raila and his sycophants to continue subverting the Rule of Law and democratic practice by openly supporting the opaque Cherera four who attempted to overturn the Will of the People in August 2022!" he wrote.
It is bad manners and an act of desperation for conman @RailaOdinga and his sycophants to continue SUBVERTING the Rule of Law and democratic practice by OPENLY supporting the OPAQUE CHERERA FOUR who attempted to OVERTURN the Will of the People in August 2022!
— Dr. Miguna Miguna (@MigunaMiguna) November 25, 2022
Cherera four
The four, IEBC Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera, commissioners Irine Masit, Justus Nyangaya, and Francis Wanderi, rejected the presidential results announced by IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati on August 15, claiming the final tallying of the results was marred with discrepancies and irregularities.
The four also filed affidavits supporting Azimio’s unsuccessful petition challenging Ruto’s win at the Supreme Court.
They have since been summoned to appear before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) for a hearing on four petitions seeking their removal from office for, among others, gross misconduct and abuse of office.
Yesterday, Raila, who attended the JLAC session, warned of a fightback if Parliament proceeds with its plan to investigate the commissioners.
Flanked by Azimio top brass including Martha Karua and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Raila said the decision by the committee to summon the commissioners would be vehemently opposed.
Raila claimed the ruling administration was using the Legal Affairs Committee to go after the four for rejecting Ruto’s win.
“The injustice being inflicted on the four IEBC commissioners, if it proceeds as currently conceived, will mark the beginning of a massive pushback against Ruto and those who think like him, by the people of Kenya. We will openly and robustly lead that pushback,” Raila said.
He defended the four saying they had not been found guilty of any electoral malpractice and instead redirected blame to Chebukati who, he said, was the only one indicted by the Supreme Court.
“The Ruto administration wants to take us back to the Nyayo regime of the 1980s. We want to sound a warning that no one should lie to this regime that we will sit back and watch a return to the Nyayo regime by another name,” Raila said.
Karua, who was Raila’s running mate in the elections, said the committee’s actions were politically motivated. According to her, it was an attempt to block Cherera, the IEBC’s vice-chair, from running the commission once Chebukati retires early next year.
“This witch-hunt in Parliament is intended to prevent the vice-chairperson from taking over as provided for by the law,” she said.
Kalonzo, on his part, said the hearings were politically motivated.
