Aukot: IEBC favours Jubilee, Nasa in repeat election

Thirdway Alliance presidential candidate Ekuru Aukot at Travellers Beach Hotel in Mombasa on October 18, 2017. He addressed a press conference on the scheduled October 26 repeat presidential election. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Dr Aukot accuses the IEBC of favouring Nasa and Jubilee.
  • He says the commission is locking him out of election preparation dialogue.
  • Dr Aukot says he is gathering evidence and will go back to the Supreme Court should the IEBC bungle the election.

Thirdway Alliance Kenya presidential candidate Ekuru Aukot has accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of aligning itself to Jubilee and Nasa and "dancing" to their tunes.

Speaking during a press briefing at Travellers Hotel in Mombasa, Dr Aukot accused the electoral commission of incompetence and serious issues of confidence.

LOCKED OUT

He decried being locked out of the dialogue with Nasa and Jubilee called by IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati.

“In his statement the chairman indeed accepted that there was division within the commission. It is evident the IEBC is its own enemy and that is why it has continued to weaken itself by aligning itself with either Nasa or Jubilee thoughts,” said Dr Aukot.

“How can it be so reckless to only invite Nasa and Jubilee as if they are the only people in the ballot? IEBC does not understand simple orders from the court and that is why it is talking of Nasa and Jubilee as if this country is all about the two.”

He said the “fixation in mind on the two is hurting the country’s economy”.

Dr Aukot questioned why Nasa leader Raila Odinga was being “forced” to participate in the election even after announcing his withdrawal.

VOTE OUT

“How do we talk about people who have said that they do not want to participate in an election? The current uncertainty is as a result of the so-called two horses and I am calling on Kenyans to ensure that we retire both,” he said.

Mr Aukot further accused the two coalitions of trying to force the presence of an electoral commission that is in their favour.

He said both Nasa and Jubilee are trying to kill the commission, “as they are used to having a referee that can favour them every time we head to an election.”

“That is what they did before the August 8 elections. They formed a committee comprising of their own people who decided on the team that will oversee the elections. If they do not have that they tend to create the uncertainty we are facing,” Dr Aukot said.

EVIDENCE

He noted that if the country is to hold political settlement then “it should be about excluding Nasa and Jubilee from this election”.

Dr Aukot said his party might have a problem with the IEBC but it will not go to the election “blindly”.

“We are watching every step that IEBC is making. I am beginning to gather my evidence to go to the Supreme Court again if Chebukati and his team are actually going to bungle this election,” he added.

 Mr Aukot said he has called for an urgent meeting with the commission to discuss issues, among them the inclusion of his name in the KIEMs kits.

“We are ready for the election. We should conduct the election within 60 days because anything outside that we are creating a political crisis to this country. We cannot have this election outside the constitutional framework," he said.

Dr Aukot said he will move to court if the KIEMs kits comprise only two candidates’ names.