The move by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to oppose some issues under discussion by the National Dialogue Committee (NDC) has elicited reactions from a section of Azimio Coalition leaders.
KANU Secretary General Fred Okango has claimed that DP Rigathi Gachagua has personal problems with the ongoing bipartisan talks.
Speaking on Citizen TV, Okango said the second in command does not fear opposition leader Raila Odinga as he claims.
Okango claimed that Gachagua is under siege and fears the establishment of state offices, some of which are a threat to his position in the Kenya Kwanza government.
“Gachagua fears the talks because there is an issue of establishment of state offices, specifically that of the prime cabinet secretary.
Because should it go on and it succeeds as we pray it will, then it will give that office legitimacy, functions and clear roles that are outlined in the Constitution,” said Okango.
Okango Schools Gachagua on Electoral Justice
Further, Okango said Gachagua has picked on the issue of electoral justice majorly the audit of the 2022 presidential elections.
According to Okango, the DP claims that there are no Constitutional provisions to perform that audit.
“I want to remind Gachagua that IEBC has a role to facilitate evaluation of elections. Evaluations is an audit; the outcome is to authenticate the validity or authenticity of that result,” said Okango.
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Further, he questioned why the deputy president fears the evaluation which he says is provided for in the Constitution.
“What we are asking as Azimio is, why don’t we look at the processes that were used to conduct that election right from the start to the end.
Thereafter, resolutions shall be made, and people agree on the good things, mistakes made during the elections and how to correct them moving forward,” said Okango.
Senator Osotsi
Speaking on electoral management, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi stated that there must be a process to audit the results.
Osotsi said the opposition should not demand for audit of the election results adding that it should part of IEBC.
“Even without going through the Supreme Court, election audit should be part of the internal standards of IEBC after every election,” said Osotsi.
Further, he said the process used by IEBC to audit the 2017 elections does not meet international standards.
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Osotsi says the Constitution provides for audit of the elections including a post results verification.
“There is that verification that happened within the process, however after the results have been announced, it is important for IEBC to go back and carry out a further verification of the process and the outcome,” said Osotsi.
Further, the senator explained that the Constitution provides for access of information which is not limited in time.
Gachagua On Talks
DP Gachagua has constantly dismissed the ongoing bipartisan talks as a waste of time arguing that nothing will come out of it.
On August 22, Gachagua dismissed the talks saying Raila demanded positions in government.
“Nothing will come out of those talks. It is a waste of time. Raila wanted us to give a share of the government and handshake, but we refused that. He asked for 3 positions for ambassador, and we refused,” the DP claimed.
Speaking on Friday, September 9, during a funeral service in Kericho, the DP again said Raila is not genuine with the ongoing bipartisan talks.
“Raila says he wants to have talks with the president, but when his allies meet with Ruto he expels them from the party. Is he genuine?” asked Gachagua.
The DP was talking about the expulsion of ODM MPs from the party due to their association with President William Ruto.
