The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) now risks being barred from taking part in the upcoming 2017 General Election, following its spirited onslaught against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
IEBC Chairman Issack Hassan on Sunday threatened to lock out CORD leaders from the 2017 polls if they went on intimidating the commission.
“We will bar them from participating in the election if they persist on intimidating the commission against the law. You can quote me on that. We will bar them,” Hassan told the Standard.
The IEBC boss further dismissed the Opposition’s threat to boycott the 2017 polls saying elections were voluntary and that CORD was free to keep off if it so wished.
Hassan reiterated his stance that the poll body would not bow to pressure mounted through channels that are not within the legal frameworks.
“We are neither stupid nor naïve. We know how powerful and ruthless the political class can get if they zero in on you. If they outsmart us within the confines of the law, we will honourably walk out with our heads high,” he firmly stated.
Raila Odinga together with his co-principals have vowed to remain steady in their bid to have the Electoral body overhauled and new commissioners appointed to oversee the next elections.
Last Wednesday, the Opposition unveiled a new attire that its members will wear from Monday next week when staging demonstrations against the IEBC.
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While addressing a press conference, the CORD leaders urged Kenyans to join them at the IEBC headquarters in Nairobi and in all counties as they continue with the 'occupy IEBC' push.
CORD chief Raila Odinga has repeatedly disputed the credibility of the electoral commission saying it cannot conduct credible elections as it is currently constituted, therefore his coalition will not contest in elections supervised by the current commissioners.
