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President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday held a meeting with
Independent and Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Wafula Chebukati at
Harambee House in Nairobi.
According to Capital FM and sources privy to the meeting,
President Kenyatta told Chebukati that Jubilee had no demands prior to
Thursday's repeat presidential poll.
Kenyatta told Chebukati that he only wanted to see the fresh
presidential election held on October 26 as directed by the Supreme Court
during their ruling which annulled his August 8 victory.
This was the first one-on-one meeting between Kenyatta and
Chebukati since the August 8 elections which was annulled by the Supreme Court.
Chebukati had insisted on having a sit down with Kenyatta
and NASA leader Raila Odinga to iron out their respective issues ahead of the
repeat poll.
However, Kenyatta had in all previous meetings with the IEBC
sent out his deputy William Ruto and Jubilee Party senior officials led by
Secretary General Raphael Tuju to represent him in the talks.
Kenyatta has made an abrupt U-turn on the political
stalemate facing the country ahead of the repeat polls.
The president had earlier said he was now willing to engage
with Chebukati ahead of Thursday's polls.
"My door is open. If Chebukati has something he wants
discussed he is free to come and we talk over a cup of tea," Kenyatta
said.
The President was however defiant and ruled out talks with
the opposition and IEBC on the repeat presidential election, saying Jubilee was
ready for Thursday's poll.
We are ready for the election set for October 26 and I will
not hold talks with anyone,” President Kenyatta spoke during a rally in
Baringo.
“The only talks I will hold are with the people of Kenya,
going to the voters to ask for votes. The IEBC (Independent Electoral and
Boundaries Commission) has been supported by taxpayers with Ksh12 billion
($115m) and their job is to organise elections and not to hold dialogue with
anyone,” Kenyatta affirmed.
The President added: “I heard that they (opposition)
want to have talks with me. I have no time for such talks. If Raila is not
ready to vote on October 26, then he can go and sleep in his house and leave
alone Kenyans who are ready to exercise their democratic rights.”
