Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Abdi Guliye revealed that members of the National Security Advisory Council (NSAC) threatened them to declare Azimio One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga the winner of the August 9,2022 or face a runoff.
While testifying before the tribunal led by Justice Aggrey Muchelule yesterday, Guliye said that four members went to see them hours before the results were declared.
According to Guliye, the four, led by Principal Administrative Secretary at the Office of the President Kennedy Kihara, Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto, former Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and Lt General Francis Omondi Ogolla the Vice Chief of Defence, went to see them in a bid to alter the will of the people.
“I recall after we went in the boardroom the visitors also joined us led by Kihara and that was the team. They were four in total and he was the only one who spoke. He said they were visiting on behalf of the main committee on NSAC and he stressed that the committee was purposely chosen.”
According to Guliye, the commissioners were warned that if they declared Ruto the president-elect “the country would burn”.
“He went on to tell us reasons for their visitation and that if we declare the results in favor of William Ruto the country was going to burn. We were even threatened that should Kenyans begin to fight each other, then the blood of those Kenyans will be in our hands,” he revealed.
He said that at that time he didn’t know the results and the CEO was in the process of printing the final tally.
Guliye claimed that the four wanted the commission to announce Raila as the winner of the election.
Kihara then stated that they required an immediate response on the matter, as Chebukati invited all commissioners to share their thoughts.
However, according to Guliye, four commissioners, including Masit, agreed with the demands laid by the guests.