Raila: Nasa will tally and release its own results

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho (left), ODM Party leader Raila Odinga, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and his deputy Jonathan Mueke in a show of solidarity in Woodley, Nairobi, on April 2, 2017. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Nasa plans to have a committee of 50 people for every polling station, who will act as party agents and voter marshals.
• Mr Odinga defended Mombasa Governor’s Form Four certificate and pledged to protect the party against what he called an assault from “our enemies” and plans to rig the elections.
• Mr Odinga said Mr Joho’s certificate was granted by a valid university and that he should be left alone.

ODM leader Raila Odinga on Sunday said the National Super Alliance will tally and announce its own results.

He said his analysis had shown that the Opposition had the numbers required to kick out Jubilee from power as long as all the votes were counted correctly.

“IEBC will announce their results … and we will announce ours from our tallying centre for comparison.” We will not accept fake results as happened in 2013 at Bomas of Kenya,” he said at a political rally in Nairobi’s Joseph Kang’ethe Grounds in Kibra.

The coalition plans to have a committee of 50 people for every polling station, who will act as party agents and voter marshals.

“Even if you are sick, they will bring you to vote and take you back to rest. Then the committee will ensure only genuine results are announced, ” he said.

At the same time, Mr Odinga defended Mombasa Governor’s Form Four certificate and pledged to protect the party against what he called an assault from “our enemies” and plans to rig the elections.

VALID UNIVERSITY

He said Mr Joho’s certificate was granted by a valid university and that he should be left alone.

“They say Joho has a fake certificate. Did he steal exams? Didn’t he go to university and pass exams there? The university granted him the certificate and confirms it was genuine, not fake,” the former Prime Minister told a crowd on the dust grounds in Kibra Constituency.

“If the vice-chancellor of a university grants you a degree, why would any anybody question it?”

Mr Joho got a D- in his Form Four examination, which he sat in 1993. He then studied for a Bachelors of Commerce at Kampala International University and a similar course at Gretsa University in Thika. Students scoring lower than C+ cannot gain admission to any university in Kenya. However, those with C and C- are allowed to study for certificates and diplomas before they can pursue a degree. A D- cannot be bridged.

Mr Joho was last week questioned by police over a forged certificate which showed he had obtained a C+ in the exams in 1992. Police said they were investigating him with the possibility of prosecuting him if they found him culpable of forgery.

But the governor rushed to court and obtained interim orders against prosecution. On Sunday, Mr Odinga sought to marshal his supporters to come out in large numbers to vote on August 8. He asked the voters to ensure the Opposition retained the governorships of Nairobi and Mombasa.

In Nairobi, he endorsed Dr Evans Kidero’s re-election and expressed confidence that Mr Joho would prevail over the accusations facing him, to retain his seat. Both governors attended the rally. Mr Odinga accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of leading a regime whose police were killing innocent Kenyans illegally.

The police have been criticised lately for appearing to shoot an unarmed suspected criminal who had surrendered in Eastleigh, Nairobi.

Mr Joho’s troubles ballooned last week after the Kenya Revenue Authority secured a court order to freeze his bank accounts following suspicions that his wealth did not tally with his tax records. Mr Odinga said his deputy was being targeted for challenging a hegemony and standing up to a regime.

“If you break your cooking stick, it doesn’t mean it is the end of cooking. Joho stands for truth and whether Jubilee likes it or not, the governor of Mombasa will remain Hassan Joho.”

“They can go hang, but we will stand strong to ensure none of our members is touched by our enemies. Let them investigate their own fakes. We do not have any problem with them. We have our people and are ready to face them in the field,” said Mr Odinga.

Mr Joho said he would not be intimidated, despite his problems with the government, promising to remain Odinga’s foot soldier no matter the challenge. “I have heard them say I am under investigation.