NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 5 — Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua have been cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to contest for in August 9 presidential polls.
Odinga was handed the clearance certificate by IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati at the Bomas of Kenya on Sunday.
Speaking after the exercise, Odinga called on the electoral agency to play its role in a free and just manner to ensure credibility in the national elections.
“We have confidence that the IEBC has got the capacity to conduct free and fair elections. We therefore would like to urge you to live by the script and do exactly what the people of Kenya expect of you,” Odinga said.
Odinga further called on Kenyans to conduct themselves peacefully during and after the electioneering period even as he defended the media’s coverage of presidential campaigns as objective amid concerns of skewed reporting by a section of media houses.
“We would like to see a free and fair electoral process, we want this exercise to be done also in a free manner, we want Kenyans to be able on the 9th of August to freely express their will, to speak freely that these is what Kenyans want,” Odinga said.
He further pledged to conduct himself together with his supporters in a manner that conforms with the requirements of the electoral laws and laws.
He was accompanied by Wiper Party’s Kalonzo Musyoka, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, his Kitui counterpart Charity Ngilu, and a host of Azimio-leaning leaders.
By Fred Odanga Azelwa.