NASA threatens to boycott polls if IEBC appeal on vote tallying goes through
May. 14, 2017, 6:00 pm
By RITA DAMARY
NASA principals in Nakuru ahead of their rally at Afraha stadium on Sunday, May 14, 2017. /RITA DAMARY
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NASA principals have threatened to boycott the August 8 elections if an appeal logged by IEBC goes through.
The electoral body wants the appellate court to overturn a high court ruling that election results announced at the constituency level are final and should be used to determine winners in the general elections.
The commission has anchored its argument on the constitutional provision that gives it the mandate to declare winners during elections.
“We will not allow IEBC to tamper with the court ruling on the tallying issues. If they will, let them know that no elections will be held,” NASA coalition flag bearer Raila Odinga said.
Odinga spoke on Sunday at Afraha stadium during a NASA rally.
Read: Heavy downpour disrupt NASA rally in Nakuru
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka echoed his sentiments saying IEBC should withdraw the appeal and accept the earlier ruling.
He urged Nakuru residents to be ready, if called upon, to take to the streets to protest should the ruling be overturned.
“If the appeal goes through, will you be ready to protest?” Kalonzo said.
He reiterated that they will conduct parallel tallying of votes for transparency purposes but not declare winners.
“We know it’s their duty to declare winners. We have no problem with that. But why is he (IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati) saying results must be announced at Bomas of Kenya?” Kalonzo said.
Machakos senator Johnstone Muthama said they will not accept a rigged election.
He dared the government to arrest him for making the declaration.
“I want to tell (Interior CS) Joseph Nkaissery that he should not oversee a stolen election. As Kenyans, we will not accept.”
Other leaders who spoke at the rally faulted the Jubilee administration for a surge in basic commodity prices including maize flour, milk and sugar.
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi accused Uhuru’s administration of insensitivity adding that they only acted after matters got out of hand.
He said the consignment of maize that docked in Mombasa on Friday will not help the situation of scarce food as the country was already facing starvation.
“We want to stabilize the economy; we want to give our youth jobs,” Mudavadi said.
Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula said the shortages in food items being experienced in the county were by design to benefit certain individuals in government.
“A government that commits economic crimes on its people does not deserve to be called a government,” Wetangula said.
Raila asked women and youth in Nakuru county to turn out in large numbers and vote for him.
“I urge all women to boycott sex on the eve of the voting day so that the electorate can be alert and go vote. We will even go for patients in health facilities to come and vote,” Raila said.
“Youths will be going house to house to urge everybody to come out and vote,” he added.
The rally was the coalition’s first public outing since it unveiled Raila its flag bearer and Kalonzo as his running mate.
The two will take on President Uhuru Kenyatta of Jubilee and his running mate William Ruto at the August polls.
[VIDEO] Raila named NASA flag bearer, Kalonzo deputy in August poll line up