EKO HOT BLOG reports that four of the seven members of the Kenyan election body the IEBC have broken ranks with the body and disowned the presidential election results, shortly before the final announcement.
The four members led by the body’s Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera left the Bomas of Kenya where the results were meant to be announced and held an impromptu press conference at the Serena Hotel in Naibori at 5:30pm where they made the unnerving pronouncement.
“We have conducted this election in the most effective and efficient manner, we have ensured that all the challenges have been contained, and as a commission, we have done a good job,” she said.
“But some things need to be put out there… as you can see we are here and not at Bomas because of the opaque nature of how this (last) phase has been handled. We, therefore, cannot take ownership of the results to be announced”
Cerera then added, “We have an open door that people can go to court and we urge Kenyans to be peaceful because the rule of the law is going to prevail”
The other commissioners dissenting from the IEBC’s final results are Franics Wanderi, Justice Nyangaya and Irene Masit
The announcement came moments after it emerged that the Azimio camp of presidential candidate Raila Odinga said the election results were not “verifiable”
Mr Odinga himself did not attend the announcement event at the Bomas.
It had been anticipated that despite Odinga’s refusal to sign the final results form, the Commission would proceed with the announcement, but Juliana Cerera’s announcement cast down on whether or not this announcement will take place today.
The elections body has only hours to beat the 7 day deadline for announcing the final results.
At the Bomas, security has since been intensified and some members of the family of Willian Ruto, the other candidate in the race were evacuated from the auditorium.
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