Rigathi Gachagua Differs with Kalonzo over Ruto's IEBC Nominees: "I've No Problem"
- Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua said he had no problem with the nominees to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)
- Gachagua expressed confidence that the opposition will win the 2027 General Election despite the individuals selected by President William Ruto for the electoral commission
- Gachagua's stand contradicts the views of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who strongly opposed the list by the president
Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Nairobi - Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has shared his views regarding the nominees for the chairperson and commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Source: Facebook
During an interview on Egesa FM on Monday, May 12, Gachagua disagreed with former vice president Kalonzo Musyoka regarding the names picked by President William Ruto.
The former deputy president stated that he had no concerns about Ruto’s nominees for the electoral agency.
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According to the former deputy president, it is Kenyans and not the IEBC who will decide who becomes the next president.
“I have no problem with the IEBC because the Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that the voter's decision at the polling station is final,” Gachagua said.
The former deputy president expressed confidence in the electoral process, assuring that he had no concerns, as it is the voters, not the commissioners, who elect leaders.
Gachagua urged his supporters to remain calm about the nominations and focus instead on encouraging Kenyans to register as voters.
“We want to make sure that we win the 2027 presidential election with over 7.1 million votes so that it becomes impossible for anyone to manipulate the numbers,” the former DP said.
The Wiper leader had protested Ruto's move to nominate IEBC commissioners without consulting the opposition leadership.
Source: Facebook
Who were nominated as IEBC commissioners?
Ruto nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon as the next IEBC chairperson, with Anne Nderitu, Moses Mukwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor, Francis Odhiambo, and Fahima Abdalla named as commissioners.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page on Thursday, May 8, Kalonzo accused President Ruto of violating the principles of bipartisan consensus.
He further asserted that Ruto’s recent actions suggest that the president is setting the stage to manipulate the 2027 elections.
Kalonzo had previously expressed his concerns when Ruto received the final list of nominees from the IEBC selection panel, which is led by Nelson Makanda.
He argued that the nomination process did not align with the standards proposed by the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), which had recommended a bipartisan approach to reforming the electoral body.
What Caleb Amisi told Kalonzo on IEBC matters
Saboti MP Caleb Amisi advised Kalonzo to shift his focus towards gaining popularity among Kenyans to enhance his chances of securing the presidency.
He urged the party leader to stop fixating on the IEBC chair or commissioners, pointing out that this strategy had not yielded any success in past elections. Amisi emphasised that true power lies with the people.
His comments went beyond electoral procedures, reminding Kalonzo that politics is an active and dynamic field, not a passive or ceremonial one.
Reflecting on history, Amisi drew parallels with the pre-medieval era, when kings fought wars to seize power.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
