We as Azimio reject the 2022 election results. We cannot and will not recognise the Kenya Kwanza regime and we consider the Kenya Kwanza government illegitimate
Opposition chief Raila Odinga has spelt out a protracted political war against President William Ruto and for the first time declared they do not recognise the legitimacy of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
A visibly agitated Raila demanded that Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua should resign from the helm of state power, claiming they have no mandate from the people or ability to govern.
The opposition outrage has been triggered by Ruto's claim of a plot to abduct and murder former IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati to sway presidential results.
But Raila says — without providing evidence — that despite Ruto's claims, he won the August 2022 polls with over 2 million votes and beat the UDA leader hands down in three Mt Kenya counties.
“We as Azimio reject the 2022 election results. We cannot and will not recognise the Kenya Kwanza regime and we consider the Kenya Kwanza government illegitimate,” the former Prime Minister said.
As part of continued pressure on the nascent government, Raila has announced another rally at Jacaranda grounds on Sunday — with the possibility of more in the coming days — to seek justice for what he termed a stolen victory.
Ruto is equally talking tough, setting the stage for a long-drawn political struggle.
Ruto has declared he will not be arm-twisted into a handshake with Raila and pledged to deal firmly with any protests called by the opposition.
Addressing a well-attended rally at the Kamkunji grounds in Nairobi on Monday, Raila declared to a standing ovation by the Azimio troops that he is not interested in any deal with Ruto.
“I’m announcing here today, I don’t want a handshake,” he declared in apparent response to Ruto and Gachagua, who had claimed that Raila was using the rallies to beat them into handshake submission.
He was accompanied by top opposition figures, including his former running mate Martha Karua, Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka, former Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa, Jubilee secretary general Jeremiah Kioni, Roots Party leader George Wajackoyah and a host of other leaders.
The Azimio boss asked Kenyans to reject Kenya Kwanza government’s "punitive" taxes and called for its resignation for lacking "mandate and ability" to govern.
Raila jetted back into the country on Monday from South Africa, where has been for more than a week, and went straight to Kamukunji for the rally.
“I want to tell Ruto and Gachagua that Kenya is not theirs. I want to tell them to stop threatening. We cannot be threatened by Ruto and Gachagua. We are demanding our rights and we are ready to die for that,” Raila said.
Pointing to a looming protracted fight, he announced another rally at Jacaranda grounds on Sunday.
The ODM boss claimed the 2022 polls were grossly rigged by people he termed cartels at the commission led by then chairman Chebukati and two other commissioners and the agency’s CEO.
He is riding on IEBC whistleblower data that allegedly indicates he won the August 9 presidential election.
“The election wasn’t even close. According to the IEBC whistleblower’s data, we won handily with over 2 million votes,” Raila said.
From today, we call on every Kenyan buying electricity tokens to take a very close look at the statement and see how much of your money actually goes into tokens
Raila said he only lost to Ruto in parts of Rift Valley, but beat him everywhere else, including Mt Kenya.
According to an unidentified whistleblower claiming to be an IEBC staff, Raila garnered 8,170,355 votes or 57.53 per cent of votes cast against Ruto’s 5,915,973 votes (41.66 per cent).
Chebukati, who retired last Tuesday, had said he braved intimidation and threats from state machinery to deliver a free and fair election.
Last week, Ruto alleged that top state officials had plotted to kidnap and murder Chebukati for refusing to dance to their tune to declare Raila the winner.
But Raila rubbished the claims as pure politics and challenged the head of state to take action on the alleged plotters if he has evidence.
“Our victory was of over 2 million and we cannot let go. This is a government of thieves, criminals and murderers. Ruto says we wanted to kill Chebukati, where is the person who killed [Chris] Musando?” he fired.
“If the President [Uhuru Kenyatta] wanted to kill Chebukati, what would have stopped him? He was the Commander-In-Chief of the defence forces. Nobody planned to kill Chebukati.”
The former Prime Minister demanded a complete overhaul of the commission and a forensic audit of the 2022 polls before the next general election is conducted.
Raila demanded that Ruto ceases any attempts to reconstitute the IEBC single-handedly.
“We demand that the entire infrastructure and records of the 2022 election at IEBC be made public and be audited by an impartial body. A forensic audit of the IEBC results and servers is non-negotiable,” he said.
On Monday, President Ruto signed into law the IEBC (Amendment) Bill, 2022, paving the way for the formation of a selection panel to recruit new commissioners.
Raila asked his supporters to reject the "punitive" UDA policies that are making life unbearable.
“We call on Kenyans to resist and demand the removal of the punitive taxes that have led to punitive costs of basic products and services including unga, milk, sugar, school books, fuel, electricity, bus fare, paraffin and school fees,” he said.
“From today, we call on every Kenyan buying electricity tokens to take a very close look at the statement and see how much of your money actually goes into tokens.”
Kalonzo claimed the IEBC officials stole its integrity and foundation, adding that it would be meaningless to go to the 2027 polls if far-reaching reforms are not instituted at the commission.
“No county can have peace without justice. We want a nation we can all be proud of,” the former vice president said.
Karua threatened to eject Ruto and all government officials, whom she termed illegitimate, if they do not respond to the needs of Kenyans.
She said they will not allow themselves to be "bullied" by an illegitimate regime comprised of "thieves and murderers".
Wajackoyah said Kenya has suddenly become a land of "thievery" after several graft cases were dropped and suspects appointed to government offices.
Kioni alleged that Raila got in excess of 2.6 million votes from Mt Kenya counties.
"Raila beat Ruto in Kiambu, Nyeri and Kirinyaga," he alleged.