Sunday, July 14, 2013

Cord threatens to boycott elections


By PETER OBUYA potieno@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Sunday, July 14   2013 at  23:30
Cord on Sunday threatened to boycott the next elections if the electoral commission is not reformed.
Cord leader Raila Odinga described the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as “the most corrupt and inefficient in the history of Kenya.” His said his coalition would boycott future election conducted by the commission.
“We will not participate in another General Election presided over by this body if fundamental reforms and changes are not effected,” Mr Odinga said.
“We will withdraw our candidates from contesting because we either have competent elections or we don’t.”
Mr Odinga was speaking to journalists on Sunday after he arrived from a visit to Australia.
He also accused IEBC of colluding with Cord’s opponents to scuttle his coalition’s chances of winning elections.
He was referring to the ongoing battle for the Makueni senatorial seat in which the Jubilee Alliance is fighting to lock out Wiper Party’s Kethi Kilonzo.
Disqualified
The IEBC has already disqualified her, arguing that she was not a registered voter but she has appealed the decision. But Mr Odinga blamed Ms Kilonzo’s problems on Cord’s opponents whom he accused of working in cahoots with the electoral body.
“We can see the hands of our opponents in this and there is collusion between them and IEBC,” said Mr Odinga.
The former prime minister also reiterated that he would still remain active in politics despite opinion polls showing 36 per cent of voters want him to quit politics.
“I haven’t heard about the report ...but the results means a majority still prefers that I remain in politics. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion,” he said.

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