The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner, Abdi Guliye, has detailed how Azimio la Umoja leaders and the National Security Advisory Council (NSAC) attempted to influence the outcome of the August 9 polls in hours leading to the announcement of William Ruto as president-elect.
In an affidavit filed at the Supreme Court on Saturday, August 27, Guliye expressed that Azimio Executive Director, Raphael Tuju, and former Busia Senator, Amos Wako, offered gifts to IEBC chairperson, Wanyonyi Wafula Chebukati, and the commissioners if they moderated the results in favour of Raila Odinga.
Guliye documented that the duo and a third party, Kyalo Mbobu visited Chebukati at 3am on the day the results were to be announced.
He added that the team explained that there was a need to moderate the results for the sake of the country's peace and stability.
Guliye added that Wako, a former Attorney General, confessed to having moderated election results in the past to favour the ruling government. Wako, according to Guliye, expressed that moderation would favour the country as a Ruto presidency would have plunged the country into chaos.
“Wako indicated that they had come to ask the Commission not to operate ‘in a vacuum’, and that it must consider the link between the election results to be declared and the stability of the country, which he described as the bigger picture," read the affidavit in part.
Additionally, Guliye added that all the commissioners were present at the meeting with the four dissenting commissioners agreeing with the Azimio team.
However, he stated that together with Chebukati and Boya Mulu, held different opinions.
"Having heard the sentiments of Hon. Tuju and Senator Wako, the Chairperson invited the Commissioners to comment. Commissioners Juliana Cherra, Justus Nyang aya, Irene Masit and Francis Wanderi agreed with the remarks of both Senator Wako and Hon. Tuju.
“The chairman took the view that he would respect the will of the people and announce the results as per the final tally from all the polling stations. As regards the proposed incentive, we were all categorical that we would not entertain such a request," Guliye stated.
Additionally, Guliye expressed that the commissioners received a delegation from the National Security Advisory Council (NSAC) in the hours after the Tuju and Wako meeting.
He explained that the top security officials told the commissioners that they had weighty issues to discuss with them as the country's stability was dependent on the actions they would take in the hours leading to the declaration of the President-elect.
The commissioner indicated that the delegation was led by Kennedy Kihara - Principal Administrative Secretary at the Office of the President, and was made of Kennedy Ogeto (Solicitor General), Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and Lieutenant General Francis Omondi Ogolla (Vice Chief of Defence Forces)
"The message from that NSAC delegation was that if we cannot announce Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga as the outright winner, then we must ensure that there is a run-off.
Only Kihara spoke at the meeting and as he concluded his-10 remarks, he indicated that they wanted from us a message that they could take back to the National Security Advisory Committee," he added.
Guliye expressed that the four dissenting commissioners held a similar view even as they opposed any attempt to subvert the will of voters.
He then revealed that upon being handed over the results hours after meeting the security council team the commissioners led by Cherera insisted that the results be moderated as per the advice of the security team.
The commissioner indicated that the Chebukati declined to heed to their demands and proceeded to announce Ruto as the president-elect.
