Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, has refused to concede defeat after being floored by Kenya Kwanza's William Samoei Ruto in the just concluded elections.
Addressing the press at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Tuesday, August 16, Raila claimed that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, contravened the law by announcing the results alone.
Raila argued that the IEBC - at the time of announcing the winner of the presidential vote - lacked a quorum.
He went on to accuse Chebukati of denying other commissioners access to the results before making them public.
The Azimio La Umoja leader went ahead to term the results null and void, calling on the courts to annul the election.
Raila stated that the IEBC has been biased before and its previous conduct in the 2017 election led to the nullification of the presidential election.
He stated that IEBC chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, did not follow the law and failed to follow the Constitution.
"We were shocked to learn that Mr Chebukati decide alone to name the winner of the 2022 election. He denied all the commissioners access to the results,” Raila stated.
He went on to claim that barely two hours before the presidential election results were announced, a meeting was called by Chebukati and he informed the commissioners of the results he intends to announce.
“Our view in Azimio is clear. The numbers announced by Chebukati are null and void and must be quashed by a court of law. There is no winner or president-elect. That was gross impunity," he stated.
Raila unsuccessfully contested for the presidency four times starting in 1997, then in 2007, 2013 and 2017. His fifth stab at the presidency was during the just concluded August 9, 2022 polls.
Many speculated that his participation in the 2017 presidential election was his last attempt to clinch the country's top seat. However, he pulled a surprise when he announced that he would contest again this year.
His candidature received a boost after President Uhuru Kenyatta endorsed him. The formation of Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition party was formed, bringing together more than 20 political parties.
