CORD to continue storming IEBC despite court order

CORD to continue storming IEBC despite court order

Despite High Court’s ruling blocking CORD from storming IEBC offices, in a bid to eject its commissioners out, pending determination of a case filed by 5 Jubilee MPs, opposition leaders have vowed never to retreat.

Addressing a series of rallies in Likuyani sub county, Ford Kenya party leader and CORD co-principal Moses Masika Wetang’ula accused the Jubilee government for bringing back the imperial presidency and state of terror as a means of controlling and running an autocratic administration.

He said they were within their rights to push for the disbandment of IEBC, blaming the police and Jubilee government for turning peaceful anti-IEBC march chaotic when the attempted to storm IEBC’s head office at Anniversary Towers on Monday.

Wetang’ula said Kenyans were not comfortable with the electoral body and its commissioners and vowed that the opposition coalition will not be cowed by threats and intimidations from the government and they will continue pushing for the disbandment of the agency to ensure that next elections were free and fair.

“IEBC has been rejected by ordinary Kenyans, Trade unions, Law society of Kenya and even church leaders have said it cannot be a reliable referee in the 2017 general elections and that is why we are saying IEBC has to go,” he said.

“On Monday police thwarted our peaceful attempted to enter IEBC offices by lobbing teargas canisters to disperse our supporters, but we are telling them we are coming back and will not be intimidated by neither the court or presence of the police officers at the IEBC offices, let them remove all teargases from the store we are now used to them” added Wetang’ula.

However he said they had postponed demonstration that was to take place on Tuesday, 3rd May 2016 in honour of the former First Lady, the late Mama Lucy Kibaki, and in compliance with the three-day national mourning after her body’s arrival on Sunday.

“This week there is a lull and we call all our supporters nationwide to join other Kenyans in honouring departed Mama Lucy Kibaki and defer the earlier announcement to occupy  IEBC offices, and as they say there is always a lull before a storm, the occupation will resume on Monday 9th May, 2016 national wide and thereafter it will be held every Monday as had been announced earlier,” said Wetang’ula.

He however said if the commissioners vacate their offices either voluntarily of by force, the president must involve the opposition and other stakeholders in appointing new team to head the commission.

“We will not allow the president to unilaterally appoint stooges to be new IEBC commissioners he must involve everybody,” he said.

Wetang’ula’s sentiments were echoed by Kakamega senator Dr. Bonny Khalwale who accused Jubilee leaders of snubbing their request for talks on the best way forward for the country forcing the opposition to resort to using the voice of the people to express their
grievances.

“All sovereignty power belongs to the people of Kenya, if the administration chooses not to listen to us and decides to run the government unconstitutionally, we the people have no choice other than resisting and exercising our sovereignty power directly in accordance
with the constitution of Kenya,” said Khalwale who also condemned a move by inspector general of police Joseph Boinet for trying to intimidating opposition leader’s body guards.

On Friday Justice Isaac Lenaola issued court orders to stop the anti-IEBC protests by CORD leaders after 5 Jubilee MPs moved to court.

On his presidential bid and Ford Kenya politics Wetang’ula promised to battle to the end expressing his optimism that he will be the CORD flag bearer in the next general elections urging the Luhya community to give him strength by rallying their support behind his bid.

“As a party, Ford Kenya has once been opposition leader in the national assembly, the party has also produced vice president of this country, what is remaining the is the president’s seat of which I am to capture,”  said Wetang’ula who promised to ensure equality among all the 42 tribes of Kenya once elected as the president of Kenya.

During the tour Wetang’ula opened Ford Kenya offices in Sango, Nzoia and Kongoni wards.

The party leader was accompanied by senators Bonny Khalwale (Kakamega), Henry Ole Ndiema (Trans Nzoia), Catherine Mukite (nominate) MPs Enoch Kibunguchy (Likuyani), Wafula Wamunyinyi (Kanduyi) Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini) Dr. Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren) among others.