Roslyn Akombe fled to US to save her life, Raila now claims

Nasa leader Raila Odinga speaks to residents of Keroka in Nyamira County on October 23, 2017 where he termed former IEBC commissioner Roslyn Akombe as a “brave, bright woman who outsmarted government mercenaries that were out to finish her”. PHOTO | HENRY NYARORA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Daily Nation could not verify the authenticity of the claims made by the Nasa leaders.
  • Mr Odinga revealed that he was in constant communication with the former IEBC commissioner.
  • Mr Odinga said Dr Akombe resigned from IEBC to save her name from a dirty repeat poll.

Nasa leaders have toured Nyamira County, the rural home of Chief Justice David Maraga and former IEBC commissioner Roslyn Akombe, to market their opposition to the repeat presidential election due on Thursday.

Speaking at Keroka market, Nasa leader Raila Odinga termed Dr Akombe a heroine, saying she is a “brave, bright woman who outsmarted government mercenaries that were out to finish her”.

Speaker after speaker claimed that government officials had tried in vain to frustrate her and even threatened her life and that of her family.

However, Daily Nation could not verify the authenticity of the claims made by the Nasa leaders.

"Her plan was very well calculated and she moved her family and luggage ahead of the Dubai trip while tricking the rest of the IEBC commissioners that she would join them only to land in New York," said Mr Odinga.

JKIA

While revealing that he was in constant communication with the former IEBC commissioner, the Nasa leader said he had called her immediately she was detained at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as she tried to leave the country after the August 8 polls.

"We talked and she told me that they had tried to strip her naked as they searched for any possible evidence and secrets of the annulled Presidential poll," Mr Odinga said.

He further claimed that Dr Akombe’s luggage was removed from the plane which she was about to board.

While claiming that the government’s harassment of Dr Akombe was part of the calculated plan to finish her, Mr Odinga said the former commissioner had to devise a plan that was not suspect.

NEW YORK

"She finally beat them in their own game when she landed in New York," he said.

The opposing leader noted that police had ignored claims of threats on her life just as it happened with the late IEBC ICT manager Chris Msando.

Dr Akombe resigned from IEBC last week in what Mr Odinga said was a move to save her name from a dirty repeat poll.

The opposition leader said they will not be hoodwinked by the step taken by IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba to take a three-week leave from office.

“We know he has not left office and he was even there today morning at around 7am. We are not fools. They are fools thinking that we will believe Chiloba is out of office," he said.

He said Mr Chiloba and the four IEBC commissioners whom Dr Akombe mentioned as having frustrated the bid to ensure a credible poll should be arrested and prosecuted.

He said Nasa will not participate in the October 26 poll because there have been no reforms in the electoral body.

"We know Chiloba has already set the stage for rigging. We are not fools," he said.