Residents of Banissa constituency in Garissa County who held a protest on Sunday over a year-long delayed by-election have apportioned the blame to Opposition Leader Raila Odinga.
Addressing the press, some of the protesters lamented that developments in the region have been on hold for more than a year since the region's MP, Kullow Maalim Hassan, passed away in March 2023.
They argued that the by-election, which was expected to take place within 90 days after the declaration of vacancy, was shelved as the government contested with the opposition over the constitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission's leadership.
"We had a valid expectation that a by-election would be conducted within 90 days after the declaration of the vacancy in strict adherence to our existing laws. The by-election did not happen because of the obvious reason that the IEBC is not fully constituted," lamented a protester.
"Our hopes of enjoying our constitutional right of having representation in the National Assembly therefore were dashed and it continues diminishing day by day."
"However, three months ago, the people of Banissa Constituency received a glimmer of hope after the recent ruling of the High Court ordering the current IEBC selection panel to appoint the new IEBC Commissioners and chair to enable them to carry their mandate including conducting a by-election for Banissa Constituency," he added.
Specifically, the protesters narrowed down to Odinga who they accused of extending their agony.
They lamented that after months of delay, the High Court in February paved the way for the hiring of IEBC chairperson and commissioners but the former Prime Minister opposed the ruling.
"No sooner had the honourable judge read her judgment than the ODM leader thrashed her judgment while demanding that there will be no hiring of IEBC commissioners before the MPs could approve the NADCO report," the protester angrily complained.
"The outburst by the ODM leader in rejecting the court's decision and issuing demands notwithstanding that it has no basis in our existing law, was unfortunate for the people of Banissa and Garissa at large."
"Anyone who blocks the realisation of that right is our enemy as people of Banissa and he has no goodwill of the entire people in this nation," he added.
IEBC panel remains incomplete following the departure of Chairperson Wafula Chebukati and commissioners Abdi Guliye, Boya Molu, Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyang'aya and Irene Masit.
The recruitment process is still ongoing.
Maalim, on the other hand, passed away after he was involved in a hit-and-run accident in Nairobi.
