Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga now claims that he did not receive a substantial invitation to attend the official declaration of the presidential winner of the 2022 General Election results at the Bomas of Kenya.
Speaking during a meeting with Muslim Clerics in Nairobi on Thursday, March 2, Raila noted that he was only invited in the last minutes before the results were announced on August 15, 2022.
According to him, former Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Wafula Chebukati had invited President William Ruto and his coalition's members two days earlier.
Thus, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader claimed that President Ruto had adequate time to prepare for the event while he (Raila) was kept in the dark regarding preparations for the day.
He claimed that the presence of Ruto’s family, including his mother, at Bomas was proof that the former IEBC Chair was aware of the outcome in the disputed polls.
“I was not invited but Ruto was invited two days prior. Even his parents were present at the Bomas. I was only informed in the last minutes that I was required to be at Bomas," Raila noted.
The former Prime Minister was conspicuously missing at the event marred by chaos at the Bomas of Kenya, with his a section of his supporters clashing with Kenya Kwanza delegates and IEBC officials.
In addition, the ODM leader continued his sustained onslaught on Chebukati and the government regarding the process followed in conducting the 2022 General Election.
He maintained his earlier resolve of leading in mass action unless his demands to have the servers used by IEBC opened are met.
"If we were not lovers of democracy, we could have told Kenyans to immediately go to the streets and demonstrate after Chebukati's announcement," Odinga stated.
In addition, the Azimio la Umoja chief announced that his coalition had secured support from the Council of Imams and Preachers Kenya (CIPK), Nairobi Branch, in what he called a campaign against the high cost of living and other injustices.
Odinga also sounded his reservations against the government's inclination toward church affairs - stating that Kenya was a secular state.
His remarks were echoed by Muslim clerics present who noted that they felt sidelined in the President Ruto-led administration citing the President's profound involvement in church activities.
The Nairobi Branch of the Council of Imams and Preachers Kenya (CIPK) has expressed alarm about the country's rapidly rising cost of living. They have also voiced their full support for Azimio in our quest, we appreciate their solidarity.
