“Iam delighted this morning (Saturday, June 4, 2022) to receive the certificate that will allow Kenya Kwanza and myself to participate in the August 9 General Election. I am also happy for my very able deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.

“Mr. chairman (Wafula Chebukati), I want to say that Kenya Kwanza has confidence in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). We are confident that you are up to the task. I also want to commit that my team and I will work with you diligently so that we have a credible, free, fair, democratic and verifiable election.

“Anytime you need our cooperation or support, Mr. chairman, I want to tell you that we are available. 

“I have appointed responsible and professional people, a lady and gentlemen, to be our liaison [officers] between Kenya Kwanza and the IEBC.

“Prof. Kithure Kindiki, who is here, will be our chief agent assisted by [UDA Secretary-General] Veronica Maina and [Turkana Governor] Josphat Nanok. These are the gentlemen and lady who will work with you, making sure that the communication and the relationship between us, as candidates, and the IEBC is useful and helpful in making sure that we run the length and breadth of this election without hitches.

“I want to tell all our supporters across the country that this is a moment of our lifetime and we must do everything to protect it from violence and unnecessary sideshows. We must keep our eyes on the ball and avoid unnecessary engagements.

“Let the Kenya Kwanza fraternity focus on the imminent win that God will grant us in this election.

“Mr. chairman, we are committed to the [Electoral] Code of Conduct that we have signed to keep this election above board. We are confident in your stewardship and that of the IEBC in the elections of 2022. 

“Let me also say that, on behalf of Kenya Kwanza, we don’t want to be favoured. We want to be treated fairly like everybody else. We are not asking for what is more than fair and a right to us.

“Respectfully, we want to request our friends in the Fourth Estate, the media, to be fair. So far, we have been treated unfairly by some media houses. We respect the decision of whatever media house to have a [preferred] candidate in this election. But the media houses should be decent and declare that they have a [preferred presidential] candidate in this election.

“We have raised these concerns [before], and through you, Mr. chairman, we want to raise these concerns [again today]. The IEBC has a duty to ensure that there is a level playing field for all participants in this election.

“When some media houses give our competitors 10 minutes of airtime, and they give us one minute [of the same], it flies in the face of integrity, fairness and balance. We have no problem with them taking sides, but they should be honourable and say: ‘in this election, we have chosen this particular candidate’.

“That will allow Kenyans who are watching their news, reading their headlines or listening to the issues, be informed that ‘this or that particular media house has taken sides’. 

“Recently, we were being told about an [upcoming] presidential debate, and we raised concerns. I saw yesterday (Friday, June 3) they told us that ‘this is a podium or platform that is supposed to assist the people of Kenya to understand their candidates, know their issues and ideas so that they can choose on the basis of information and knowledge’.

“If the presidential debate is being organised by media organisations that have taken sides; by people who already have skewed the playing field in favour of one side, what moral authority do they have to ask the rest of us, who are not their [preferred] candidates, to attend a pre-arranged, pre-rigged presidential debate? We are not asking for too much; just fairness.

“If you have chosen to take a side, organise a presidential debate for that side [that you are supporting]. Don’t expect us to come and sanitise a debate that you have already skewed with the coverage of your news. We already have huge challenges that we are facing; for instance, the deep state and the so-called system.

“As Kenya Kwanza, we are going into this election with a lot of clarity, and we will work with all Kenyans. I want to ask the people of Kenya to [responsibly] participate in this election. Whichever side you are [supporting], know that this is our country, and it is our responsibility to keep it safe and peaceful, irrespective of who you vote for. Thank you very much.” By Brian Okoth, The Standard