Kalonzo Musyoka, the Wiper Party leader, has asked President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to be included in the process of reorganising the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
In a letter to Ruto and Raila released on Friday, March 28, he urged them to involve the opposition in meaningful discussions and consultation with the opposition to strengthen public confidence in the IEBC to ensure fairness and inclusivity in the process.
"I firmly believe that the United Democratic Alliance(UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), now aligned on one side, should engage in discussion with those of us in the opposition to ensure a balanced and inclusive process."
"This position is informed by the principles of checks and balance, good governance, and sound public policy," the statement reads.
Kalonzo warned that failing to do so would mean making decisions that only benefit UDA and ODM, which would make Kenyans lose trust in the IEBC.
He also urged Ruto and Raila to learn from past experiences and focus on actions that will ensure elections are free and fair, verifiable, and credible.
"I write to you on a matter of national importance and urgency. As we prepare for the next election, it is imperative that we, in utmost good faith, now draw lessons from our history and previous commitment to invest in actions and processes that will guarantee free and fair, verifiable, and credible elections," part of the letter reads.
Kalonzo added that since the memorandum of UDA and the ODM, it is important to clarify who will participate in this critical process of consultation and consultation occurrence.
He warned that if opposition is not included in the decision, it would repeat past mistakes that contributed to disputed elections and the 2007/08 post-election violence.
"Such an approach would also revive a dangerous precedent that contributed to the disputed elections and the post-election violence of 2007/08."
"This kind of politics risks plunging the nation into turmoil, jeopardising the well-being of the people of Kenya, and testing our national unity and statehood," he noted.
Kalonzo added that this approach aligns with the values and principles enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya (2010), and it is also in line with the best practices established by the Inter-parliamentary Political Group in 1997, which contributed to the credibility of the 2002 elections.
