Ruto Responds to Raila Demanding Cherera Takes Over From Chebukati

Ruto Responds to Raila's Remarks on Chebukati
President-elect William Ruto addresses the media at the Deputy President's Karen Residence on Friday, August 26.
William Ruto

President-elect William Ruto has denounced demands by Azimio la Umoja's flagbearer, Raila Odinga, to have Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati barred from overseeing future elections. 

Ruto in a presser urged his competitor to accord the IEBC space to deliver on its mandate. He also spoke against IEBC vice chairperson, Juliana Cherera, replacing Chebukati as Raila agitated for. 

“We want to tell them that it is not right and we shall not allow them. For us to live in a secure, predictable democratic society we must build our institutions so that the rule of law overrides the rule of men,” he remarked. 

“I want to ask all of us to give the IEBC its space to do its job," Ruto added. 

President-elect William Ruto shaking hands with MDG party leader David Ochieng alongside other politicians on Friday August 26 at Karen Nairobi
President-elect William Ruto shaking hands with MDG party leader David Ochieng alongside other politicians on Friday August 26 2022 at Karen Nairobi
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He further accused the Azimio leader of orchestrating to destroy Chebukati's commission, likening it to the way former IEBC commissioners led by ex-chairperson, Ahmed Issack Hassan, were ousted from office. 

In addition, the president-elect urged politicians to allow the Supreme Court to hear and determine the petitions filed to challenge his win and IEBC’s conduct of the election. 

According to Ruto, lecturing the Judiciary on how they should go about handling the petition would undermine its independence. 

“Let me take this opportunity and ask our competitors that we want to move this country to the next level. Let us allow the judicial system in Kenya to make a determination on the issues that you have taken to court.” 

“We are not building this country around personalities, we are building this country around institutions and all of us irrespective of who we are, and the power we wield. We must build institutions.” 

Ruto was speaking after welcoming a host of leaders from the Movement for Democracy and Growth party (MDG) at the Deputy President’s Official Residence in Karen. 

His response comes two days after his nemesis Raila Odinga demanded that Chebukati should refrain from overseeing the Mombasa and Kakamega elections and instead allow his vice chair Juliana Cherera to take charge.

Ruto's Speech in Sakaja's Swearing-in
President-elect William Ruto gives his speech during Johnson Sakaja's swearing-in ceremony at the KICC on Thursday, August 25.
Kenyans.co.ke

Raila, while campaigning for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate in the Mombasa gubernatorial election accused Chebukati of conspiring to subvert the will of the people by announcing Ruto as the president-elect. 

IEBC, however, argued that the elections would be conducted by returning officers who were gazetted as stipulated by the Constitution. 

The IEBC has been embroiled in confusion after Cherera and three other commissioners, Justus Nyang’aya, Francis Wanderi, and Irene Masit dissented and rejected the results of the presidential election announced on August 15.