Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi claims the Tribunal ruling on suspended Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Irene Masit was manipulated.
The Senator who was elected on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party ticket said the ruling by the Tribunal which accused Masit of gross misconduct was expected.
“For us in Azimio we are not surprised, we did not expect a different result from what the so-called Muchelule-led tribunal has given. The entire process is drama and choreographed to generate the results it generated,” Osotsi said.
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“You could see Ruto waiting in the wings to issue a gazette notice for the appointment of the IEBC panel. I think he was just waiting for that decision for him to appoint other commissioners.”
On Monday, February 27, the Tribunal chaired by Court of Appeal Judge, Aggrey Muchelule stated that commissioner Masit’s decision to agree with the proposal by two delegations which sought to have IEBC moderate the election results on August 15, 2022, in favor of Raila Odinga was inappropriate.
“…this Tribunal recommends … that Commissioner Irene Cherop Masit be removed from office as a member of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission,” the tribunal said.
However, Osotsi who was speaking on Citizen TV’s Day Break show claimed the verdict was biased further stating that Muchelule, former IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati and Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula share family ties.
“You would be so naive if you expected different results. Those of us who come from Western Kenya know the family link between Muchelule, Chebukati and Wetangula,” Osotsi claimed.
The three other commissioners (Juliana Cherera (former vice chairperson), Francis Wanderi and Justus Nyang’aya) chose to resign than face the tribunal.
“For us in Azimio we are not going to courts because we know what is happening there, but we will go to the people and engage them in this process,” he said.
