Raila Odinga: I can't boycott election when I'm clearly in the lead

Details: East Africa; 08 July 2022; 622

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga.[Kibata Kihu, Standard]

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga has scoffed at his opponent for telling him to drop off the August 9 elections if he has sensed defeat.

Addressing a rally in Kianyaga in Kirinyaga County yesterday, Mr Odinga wondered: “How am I supposed to quit a race in which I am leading with up to 65 per cent and projected to hit 70 per cent by the election date?”

He said the Azimio coalition meant to send a warning to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) that it would not participate in a lopsided contest. “We only wanted to send a warning to IEBC that we will not allow our victory to be stolen,” he added.

Mr Odinga said his coalition was leading in almost all key counties, including in Mt Kenya, which was previously seen as a stronghold of Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

“Some people wrote that we were planning to boycott the election. We cannot do this when the victory is ours. We are victorious and we cannot do such a thing,” he said.

The team said they had insider information that all was not well at IEBC.

“We know the monkey games they have been playing in there, and we even have evidence that a commissioner bought a building in Mombasa through questionable proceeds. We will take action once we are in power. That building will be taken over by the government and be a Deputy County Commissioner’s office,” Suna East MP Junet Mohamed said at Wang’uru Township in Mwea.

Mr Junet said Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula must provide answers on alleged IEBC dealings.

Mr Odinga promised to lower the cost of living within 100 days if Azimio takes over power. During stops in Kagio and Kerugoya town, he said he was aware Kenyans were suffering as a result of high prices of essential commodities, especially flour, and pledged to lower the same by a margin of Sh100 if elected president on August 9.

“This is something our joint administration will change within the first three months in office,” Mr Odinga said. By Nderitu Gichure and Jane Mugambi, The Standard.