Azimio statement on the suspension of polls in Mombasa & Kakamega

The suspension of two gubernatorial elections has come to us as a shock. Mombasa County and Kakamega county are known to be Azimio strongholds.

Suspension of the gubernatorial election is carefully mis engineered to lower voter turnout in these two counties and affect out imminent election victory. It is a deliberate act of voter suppression.

It is curious to note that all suspensions that were announced by the IEBC Chairperson, Wafula Chebukati today were in Azimio strongholds. Is this a coincidence? We believe it is deliberate.

In a couple of days, we shall invite the DCI to audit the process of printing of the ballot papers and establish the extent to which there was mischief and criminality on the part of IEBC. We shall also invite the DCI to determine the extent to which the mistakes by IEBC or their designated printer were a function of negligence.

IEBC is required by law to exercise a duty of care in the printing and distribution of ballot papers for the General Election. We therefore want to invite DCI to determine is the extent to which their failure to do so resulted in this mishap.

Today we serve notice to IEBC and all its Commissioners that according to Section 6 (j) of the Election Offences Act (Act No. 37 of 2016), “a member of the Commission, staff or other person having any duty to perform pursuant to any written law relating to any election who—

(j) without reasonable cause does or omits to do anything in breach of his official duty;

commits an offence and is liable on conviction, to a fine not exceeding two million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.”

This suspension and its attendant mischief notwithstanding, we urge Azimio supporters especially in Mombasa and Kakamega to turn out in big numbers and vote for their favourite presidential candidate Raila Amolo Odinga, their governors, senators, members of parliament and MCAs. Let’s come out and put Chebukati and his sponsor to shame.

AZIMIO LA UMOJA-ONE KENYA COALITION PARTY
AUGUST 8, 2022.