RAILA WANTS IEBC TO GIVE ELECTION RESULTS

MONDAY, JUNE 10, 2013 - 00:00 -- BY DAVID MWERE

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has demanded the immediate release of the final results of the March 4 general election.

Raila yesterday challenged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to end the delay "if its conduct is above board".

Raila also asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to recall all the county commissioners if he is committed to the success of devolution. The former PM said their presence in the counties is causing unnecessary supremacy battles with elected governors.

Addressing a public rally in Kawangware, Raila, who was accompanied by six Cord MPs, said IEBC should expedite the process and avoid unnecessary delays that may hamper the equitable sharing of funds among registered political parties.

The Political Parties Act provides that all the election results must be computed per party after every general election putting into account the results garnered on the basis of the President, Governor, MPs and ward representatives to determine the amount of money a party would get.

“If indeed the IEBC conducted a free and fair poll, why is it delaying the computation of the election results three months later? They should announce so that we know what TNA, ODM, Wiper among other parties got,” Raila told the crowd at the Kabiro Primary School.

The Supreme Court on April 9 upheld the IEBC declaration of Uhuru as the winner after Raila’s Cord challenged the outcome of the presidential election.

The court ruled that the process was within the law and that Uhuru had been validly elected as the president.

Raila’s sentiments come against the backdrop of divisions within the IEBC over the computation of the results. An IEBC commissioner, who did not want his identity revealed, told the Star that the final figure was to be released before the end of last week but the disagreement among them had caused the delay.

The figures, according to the commissioner, were to be finalised before presentation of budget estimates to the parliamentary committee.

Whereas some commissioners want the the process finalised, others want the section of the Political Parties’ Act providing for the computation of results amended to give the commission more time. Those pushing for the amendment want the parties to share the monies on the basis of their representation in the Parliament and the county assemblies.

According to the commissioner, the variation of the results between the presidential and other positions was “irreconcilable”.

“The IEBC was to release the results before the end of the week but the huge variation between the presidential results announced on the 9th of March this year and the other positions combined is the source of the headache,” the source said.

Raila also criticised the leadership of Parliament for frustrating the success of county governments. He said the current power games between the Senate and the National Assembly are unfortunate at a time when devolution should be taking root.

He accused Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi of advancing the interests of the executive through his "poor interpretation" of the law in making critical rulings. In his ruling recently, Muturi said the Senate had no role in the Division of Revenue Bill even after he had referred the Bill to it.

“Muturi should learn from what his predecessor Kenneth Marende did. He should also avoid directing MPs like small children because they elected him and can impeach him,” Raila said.

The two Houses are at loggerheads over who has the final say on the Division of Revenue Bill that provides for the sharing of the revenue between the national government and the county governments. Already an MP is hatching a plot to scrap the Senate through a constitutional amendment Bill.

“The fight between the two Houses is not important; the most important thing is to ensure money goes to the grassroots. Where there is devolution like in the US, Switzerland among other countries, there is always a second House to safeguard it,” he said.

Area MP Simba Arati urged the government to accord Raila the respect that befits his status. “We will not sit back as people intimidate you. We will fight the dark forces that you fought against to ensure we enjoy our rights and freedoms,” said Arati.