Deputy President William Ruto now claims that at least one million voters from his strongholds have been removed from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) voters register.
Speaking during a meeting with European Union Ambassadors at his Karen residence on Thursday, June 2, the deputy president claimed that the names mysteriously disappeared from the IEBC voters register less than 69 days to the August 9 polls.
Ruto went ahead to claim that the IEBC system was breached and the data deleted from the register, calling on the European Union and other stakeholders to join in and help the country deliver a free, fair and credible election.
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"We will take a position as a party, we are writing to the IEBC as you have seen in the media that there was an attempt to obliterate names from the IEBC register and so far, almost 800,000 names, about 1,000,000 names have somehow disappeared from the register and it is in the public domain. I think the IEBC has stated that they are doing some remedial steps," he stated.
"Many of those names are people from what we consider our strongholds so there is a clear attempt to try some monkey games. We don't believe they will succeed but they are a source of concern to Kenyans," he reiterated.
The DP also called out the ICT Cabinet Secretary, Joe Mucheru, over his prediction that the Azimio la Umoja coalition presidential flagbearer, Raila Odinga, would win the August 9 vote in the first round. He noted that such predictions ought to worry Kenyans, especially with the powerful position held by Mucheru.
"Those kinds of attempts are dangerous especially when certain public officials are chest-thumping that they have the so-called system and deep state to manipulate the elections. We are ready to work with the IEBC and friends to make sure that we deliver on credible elections."
"We expect everybody who is concerned including the EU to try and get as many details as possible, both from the IEBC and from these public officials on what this all is about," added the DP.
The DP's claims were, however, disputed by IEBC chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, who - during a press briefing at the Bomas of Kenya - assured the public that their data was safe.
"I want to assure Kenyans that their data is safe, no data has been lost and no data will be lost, there has been no breach or any form of interference with the register which is under audit, then we shall have a final register on or before 9th," he stated on Thursday, June 2.
The IEBC chairman also pointed out that numerous efforts had been made to ensure a transparent process for Kenyans.
"KPMG will be incorporated in the final register, the commission will certify it and gazette it by 9th of June then it will be broken down in form of counties and constituencies in readiness for elections," Chebukati stated.
