Narc Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua has levelled serious accusations against President William Ruto, claiming he undermined the independence of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) by ousting four commissioners.
According to Karua, the commissioners were removed for dissenting against the vote tally that declared Ruto the winner of the 2022 presidential election.
Speaking at Spice FM Karua emphasized that the IEBC crisis was not instigated by Azimio la Umoja anti-government protests but was a direct result of Ruto's actions.
"We never went to the streets because of the IEBC," Karua stated.
"The crisis was generated solely by Ruto, who sacked four commissioners because they said no to the tally that made him President. Criminalising dissent is unacceptable."
Karua, a vocal advocate for democracy and transparency, argued that the dismissal of the commissioners was a blatant attempt to stifle opposition and dissent.
She criticized the move as an attack on democratic principles and a dangerous precedent for the country's governance.
"The fact that we abandoned the people's issue and were arm-twisted to accept something less makes us totally unfit to lead any other dialogue, especially a dialogue initiated by the people with clarity of demands," Karua continued.
The vocal politician underscored that the current political discourse should focus on issues rather than personalities, stressing that the public's demands are clear and should be prioritized.
"This is not about installing any one person; it is not about personalities. It is about issues," Karua asserted.
She called for a renewed focus on addressing the substantive concerns raised by the public, rather than diverting attention to political pronunciations.
Karua's remarks come at a critical time for Kenya's political landscape, as the country continues to grapple with the fallout from the disputed election years later.
On July 9, the Head of State signed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024 into law.
Ruto assented to the bill at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi to pave the way for the appointment of the selection panel that will recruit the electoral body’s new commissioners.
