Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Prof. Abdi Guliye has given an account of what happened at the Bomas of Kenya just before President William Ruto was announced Kenya’s President-elect.
He stated that the commissioners went into the holding room and called presidential agents from each coalition whom they issued with the summary of the presidential election results.
While appearing on TV47 Monday, July 31, Prof. Guliye recalled that only three agents signed the document.
However, Azimio agents refused to sign saying they needed to scrutinize the pages of the document.
The former commissioner said they refused to heed to the condition saying it was a deliberate attempt by Azimio to derail the results after realizing President William Ruto had won the elections.
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“They wanted to scrutinize over 4,000 pages and we knew straight away it was a delaying tactic. After we called them out, they went out and organized goons to beat us up,” he stated.
Bomas Fracas
The former IEBC commissioner says he sustained injuries during the fracas that occurred at the Bomas of Kenya on August 15, 2022.
“We went into hiding after we announced the elections, I was actually injured most during the commotion in which governors, senators, and MPs were subjecting us to humiliation.” He noted.
In addition, Guliye revealed that IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati was forced to go to the podium alone after CEO Hussein Marjan and himself sustained injuries and could not further risk their lives.
“We felt threatened. So that is why the chairman came alone. I was injured, bleeding from both legs and my colleague CEO Marjan was hit with a blunt object at the back of his head. We had to go and hide somewhere,” he said.
Furthermore, Guliye opined that he could not even visit his children in school for fear that they would be profiled because of his job as a commissioner of the IEBC.
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“I avoided visiting my children in school for their well-being. The other day my son told me, ‘dad nimeambiwa shuleni ati pesa ya Ruto imefika’.” He added.
Ruto-Raila Talks are a Mockery of Democracy
Abdi Guliye claims the talks to be held by the President William Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza coalition and Raila Odinga-led Azimio is a mockery of democracy.
“What is the point of going into an election, spend billions of money, time, and thereafter, we don’t respect the outcome of that process?” Guliye posed.
According to Guliye, Kenyans should decide whether they want to have competitive elections or instead have political bigwigs sit under a tree and agree on how to share power.
