In Summary
- Ex-IEBC Commissioner Abdi Guliye says the talks undermine the process of elections.
- He suggested that it might be better to do away with the election of the President and, instead, opt for dialogue
Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Professor Abdi Guliye has criticized the ongoing bipartisan talks between President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga calling it a mockery of democracy.
Speaking to TV47, Guliye questioned the importance of elections if a truce must be found between the opposition and the ruling party after every general election, hence leading to the sharing of positions in the government.
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“The talks are a mockery of democracy…What is the point of going into an election, spent billions of money, time, and thereafter, we don’t respect the outcome of that process?”
he asked.
He suggested that it might be better to do away with the election of the president and opt for dialogue to choose a president saying they do spent a lot of money and time on elections.
“As Kenyans we should agree that if we will not respect elections, Kenyans need to decide whether they want competitive elections or political barons can sit under a tree at State House and agree on how to share power,”
Dialogue
Guliye’s remarks came as the proposed talks between Ruto and Raila raised concerns about the credibility of the IEBC institution and the entire electoral process.
Guliye was among the three IEBC officials who announced Ruto as the president in the 2022 General election, a move that faced strong opposition from Raila Odinga and his supporters, who accused the commission of rigging the election.
The disputed election outcome left the IEBC deeply divided, with other commissioners, led by then-Vice Chair Juliana Cherera, denouncing the results that announced Ruto as president.
READ ALSO: There Will be No Cost of living in Our Talks, Ruto to Raila
The current bipartisan talks are set to be led by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.
