Cherera Four pushed for Ruto, Raila runoff, Marjan tells tribunal

Details: East Africa; 23 December 2022; 541

Commissioner Irene Masit (left) with her lawyer Donald Kipkorir during the tribunal hearings yesterday. PD/William Oeri

The tribunal investigating the conduct of a serving IEBC commissioner and three of her former colleagues was yesterday told how they frantically pushed the Commission chairperson Wafula Chebukati to order a repeat presidential election.

Testifying before the tribunal chaired by Justice Aggrey Muchelule, IEBC Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein Marjan revealed how the four commissioners exerted pressure on Chebukati to moderate the results of the presidential election so that none of the candidates attains the requisite 50 percent plus one vote to be declared the outright winner.

The four commissioners, led by then Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyang’aya, Irene Masit and Francis Wanderi urged the IEBC chair to proceed to declare a repeat election on grounds that none of the four presidential candidates led by Kenya Kwanza’s William Ruto, Azimio la Umoja candidate Raila Odinga, Roots Party candidate George Wajackoyah and Agano Party’s David Mwaure Waihiga, had attained the 50 percent plus one vote threshold.

Marjan said that he was surprised when the four commissioners went to hold a presser at the Nairobi Serena Hotel.

“I was surprised with the statement that they made because we worked with them so closely to the last point and there was nothing wrong. Our crossing point came when they went and said the opposite,” said Marjan.

The tribunal heard that the problem with the commissioners began when they tried to influence the moderation of the results so that the country would go back for rerun.

Last standing

According to Marjan, the Cherera four wanted a rerun to give Azimio la Umoja a chance since the margin between President William Ruto and Raila Odinga was too small.

“The difference between William Ruto who was leading and Raila Odinga was around 253,000… the four commissiniors argued that the difference was too small and we should give the parties a chance to go for a rerun.., they wanted the results moderated but the chairman refused saying the law does not allow him to do so,” said Marjan.

Marjan further noted that Masit who is the last of four left standing was actually present all through at the National Tallying Centre. Three of the commissioners have since resigned. They include Cherera, Wanderi and Nyang’aya.

Besides Muchelule, members of the tribunal comprise Carolyne Daudi, the Vice-Chairperson, Linda Kiome, Mathew Nyabena and retired Colonel Saeed Khamis.

A representative from Serena who also testified in the tribunal confirmed that Masit was among the four IEBC officials who went to the Serena hotel and addressed a press conference.

Anthony Chege Kamau told the tribunal that one Edwin Okwe walked into the hotel’s reception area on 15 August, booked and paid for the ground to be used for a press conference.

A representative of Yaya apartments, Simon Ngila also testified before the tribunal that the four commissioners stayed at their apartments from August 15 and checked out on August 19.

“The person who made the booking for the said apartment is Edwin Okwe who is a repeat client... he has stayed with us before.. he just made a random booking for three days and we got him space,” explained Ngila.

According to the Accommodation Manager at the said apartments, the four commissioners were not willing to have their records written down and their security team said they would sort it out the next day.

“We provided our registration documents which were signed by their security personnel,” Angila told the tribunal.

A clip showing Masit walking into the lifts of the said apartment from the basement was played before the tribunal.

The manager revealed that former Cabinet Secretary and Jubilee party Secretary General Raphael Tuju, was among the visitors who visited the four commissioners at the said Apartments on August 16. By Bernice Mbugua, People Daily