Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga defended a section of Azimio leaders who privately met former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), vice chairperson Juliana Cherera and three other commissioners at a rented apartment in Nairobi.
Speaking on Citizen TV on Tuesday, December 27, Raila stated that his team visited the four; Cherera, Francis Wanderi, Justus Nyangaya and Irene Masit to determine their basis for disputing the presidential election's outcome.
He made it clear that a section of Azimio leaders, mentioned during the tribunal hearing, visited the four commissioners after IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati announced the presidential results.
"The politicians were justified to visit these commissioners because they were saying No," Raila explained.
"Our people were actually justified in finding out the truth because that was already ex post facto. The result had already been announced by Chebukati,” he added.
The Azimio Principal insisted that the meeting was key to gathering evidence as to what had transpired and why the four disowned the results Chebukati announced at the national tallying centre at the Bomas of Kenya.
"They (Azimio politicians who visited) wanted to know what actually transpired," Raila reiterated.
However, Raila did not respond to reports indicating that one of his close allies paid for the rooms the four commissioners rented.
Cherera, Masit, Nyang’aya and Wanderi disowned the presidential election results arguing that they were not transparent.
Reports further indicated that the four moved into the rented apartments at Yaya Centre immediately after holding a press conference to disown the results on Monday, August 15.
A few Azimio leaders, including former Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju and Nick Salat, visited the embattled four at the city apartments.
According to the testimony presented before a tribunal, the four allegedly met with Azimio leaders twice during their stay at the apartments.
Cherera, Nyang'aya and Wanderi later resigned after President William Ruto appointed a tribunal led by Justice Aggrey Muchelule.
Responding to the formation of the tribunal, Raila maintained that it was well constituted.
"That tribunal itself is outlawed, the way it was constituted, the matter was rushed and before the bill was even taken to Parliament, the so-called Victor who brought the bill had already condemned the four commissioners as people who had put the country in turmoil," Raila added.
Recounting his fifth unsuccessful stab at the House on the Hill, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader shifted all the blame to IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati.
"In my view, Chebukati should be prosecuted and sentenced to jail. What he has committed is a great crime against the humanity and people of this country," the former Prime Minister explained.
"I believe strongly that he, not the other four commissioners, should be in the dock," Raila concluded.
