Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has addressed the delay in the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Head of Special projects and Creative economy in the Executive Office of the President Dennis Itumbi had put the blame on the former vice president’s Wiper Party which he said moved to court to stop the hiring of new IEBC Commissioners after its nominee to the IEBC selection panel was rejected by the Azimio Coalition.
However, Kalonzo in a statement on Sunday, December 8 distanced his party from the delay while in turn putting the blame on President William Ruto and National Assembly speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
According to the former Vice President, Wiper submitted the name of its IEBC Selection panel nominee Koki Muli which was later halted by Court.
“On IEBC, we adhered to the strict timelines of the Court, and we gave the name Koki Muli. The State itself has filed an appeal with the Kiambu High Court against our decision. They want candidates who are easy to influence and manipulate. It is a Ruto strategy to ensure there is no IEBC. Speaker Wetangula is also part of the conspiracy against Kenyans,” Kalonzo said in the statement.
He added, “If they had taken time to marshal Parliament, as they did with Riggy G, the country would not be in a constitutional crisis.”
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Itumbi ropes in Kalonzo Musyoka over IEBC reconstitution delay
Kalonzo was forced to clear the air after Ruto’s closest ally Dennis Itumbi came out guns blazing to defend the head of state.
This was a day after Supreme Court Judge Isaac Lenaola blasted President Ruto and Members of Parliament (MPs) over the protracted recruitment of new IEBC Commissioners more than two years after the helm of the country’s electoral body fell vacant.
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Itumbi took to X on Saturday saying that Ruto is not to blame for the pending recruitment of all seven IEBC Commissioners that has seen several constituencies and wards without representatives and electoral boundaries yet to be reviewed since March 2012.
“In March 2023 President William Ruto demonstrated his readiness to constitute the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Therefore, the claim that he is deliberately delaying the formation of the commission is inaccurate,” he said.
He went on to add, “However, the situation changed with the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) process. Kalonzo Musyoka’s wiper advocated for Koki Muli to join the panel while the minority parties in Azimio supported Augustine Muli.”
Court cases
The Head of Special projects and Creative economy also highlighted that on July 26, 2024, an election was held, in which there were three clusters, adding that only one has led to the current dispute.
“Wiper had a candidate – Koki Muli – she lost the Election to Augustus Muli of The National Liberal Party. Augustus got 17 votes, while Koki of Wiper got 7. This disagreement led to a court case.,” Itumbi added.
However, political analysts and legal experts including the former director of the committee of experts that drafted the current constitution Dr Ekuru Aukot have termed Itumbi’s response as the lamest of excuses.
There is currently a court order in place preventing any further action on this matter until it is resolved once the legal issues are settled.
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