The withdrawal of NASA flag bearer Raila Odinga and his
running mate Kalonzo Musyoka from the presidential race was one of the
controversies surrounding the fresh election that forced former Commissioner
Roselyne Akombe to resign.
Speaking during an interview Dr. Akombe disclosed that the
withdrawal stirred legal confusion among IEBC Commissioners.
She mentioned that efforts to seek Supreme Court’s direction
after Mr Odinga backed out was met with a lot of opposition by a section of the
Commissioners.
“Majority of the Commissioners did not want and they felt
that Raila had a choice and he chose to bail out and hence the country should
proceed with the election,"she said.
Akombe noted that efforts by IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati to
seek the Supreme Court’s guidance did not work as a majority of Commissioner
called for the October 26 poll to proceed even after the former Prime
Minister’s withdrawal. This Akombe said left her perturbed.
She also added that the inclusion of the other six
presidential candidates as per the High Court ruling was another factor IEBC
was not prepared for.
The order changed several things ahead of the poll yet IEBC
was not ready to make the important implementations to carry and free and
credible elections.
The ex-Commissioner explained that what hurt her the most
was the fact that she did not have a solid explanation for Kenyans who
questioned the Commission’s radical moves.
“To be frank what really broke my heart and made me make
this decision to leave it was my visit to Siaya, Kisumu, and Homa Bay. I saw I
committed to doing the right thing. But they kept asking me madam commissioner
did you have to get to this point? Couldn’t you seek the Supreme Court
decision?
"Couldn’t you have asked the Supreme Court to give us
enough time so that we can bring everybody on board? Must we have a commission
that is this way? And I was helpless.
"I knew at that point Chebukati had asked the
Commission to go to the Supreme Court after the withdrawal of Raila but he was
opposed," she said during a interview.
Akombe dismissed speculations that she could be working to
push the agenda of the National Super Alliance (NASA).
She stated that she had been painted to be a NASA mole when
pushing issues seemingly supporting the Alliance and also a Jubilee mole when
agreeing to issues raised by the ruling coalition.
At the same time, Akombe divulged that a Member of
Parliament was sent to threaten her and demand her resignation.
