Mudavadi welcomes IEBC's exit from polls committee

ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi (left) with Secretary-General Simon Kamau during the launch of the ANC digital platforms at the party headquarters in Nairobi. December 2, 2021. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi has welcomed the decision by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to pull out of a multi-agency committee formed to plan next year’s General Elections. 

Speaking during the launch of ANC digital platforms at the party headquarters in Nairobi, yesterday, Mudavadi said the electoral agency should be left to operate as an independent institution devoid of interference from other government bodies.

Last week, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati withdrew from the multi-agency committee put in place to prepare for the elections, saying the law rests the burden of election preparation on the commission only.

The ANC leader said election matters should be left to the commission and not be hijacked by people with interests on the outcome. 

“The reason why we have been having violence after election is because the electoral agency fails to execute its mandate as other forces hijack operations of the commission,” he added. 

Mudavadi's remarks come as defense of Chebukati who has been on the receiving end from ODM party, accusing him (Chebukati) of being a sympathiser of Deputy President William Ruto.

“The commission should not be interfered with by anybody. It is an independent institution that should be left to organise the elections so that if anything goes wrong, we know who to ask and not having many players usurping the powers of the commission,” he said.

At the same time, the ANC leader took a swipe at President Uhuru Kenyatta’s remarks that the economy has recorded growth during his nine years in office with Kenya’s GDP standing at over Sh11 trillion.

Mudavadi said the President’s remarks during his State of the Nation Address on Tuesday were political and not economically factual. 

He said the GDP growth the president was referring to is only on paper and that more than half of the money goes to public debt.

“As an economist and former Finance minister, the Sh11 trillion the President is talking of is just in writing and cannot be felt. Over Sh7.5 trillion goes to the public debt and we cannot say the economy has grown with a partly Sh3 trillion,” he added.

Mudavadi disputed Uhuru’s projected growth saying the cost of living has become unbearable for Kenyans.