CORD calls for MASS ACTION after Jubilee amends electoral law

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) has called for street demonstrations to protest the successful amendment of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2016 by the Jubilee Members of Parliament.

CORD said the demonstrations will start on January 4, 2017 and will continue until the amendments are reversed.

The opposition coalition is protesting the re-introduction of manual election results transmission in cases where the electronic system fails.

CORD principals Raila Odinga (ODM), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and Moses Wetangula (Ford-Kenya), while speaking at a press conference on Thursday, December 22 in Nairobi’s Capitol Hill, vowed to employ all available legal avenues to challenge the decision by Jubilee government to change the law.

Odinga said that the law came as a result of negotiations between the opposition and the ruling coalition and cannot be changed arbitrarily.

Odinga failed to understand why the Jubilee government could not implement its (law) provisions during next year’s elections yet other African countries have successfully used technology to conduct elections and transmit results.

The former Premier likened the move by the Jubilee government to events that are happening in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where President Joseph Kabila has refused to leave power leading to mass demonstrations and loss of lives, adding that Kenya is heading to the dictatorial direction of Uganda and Burundi.

He reiterated the CORD’s stand that the Jubilee government is keen to use the law to rig the 2017 General Election in favour of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term.

He took issue with Deputy President William Ruto saying: “He has being bragging all around that they won when they were in opposition, now they cannot lose while they are in government.”

“This country does not belong to Uhuru or Ruto,” said the visibly agitated Odinga.

He added that their push to defend the ‘integrity of elections’ has received support from the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party and Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC).

“I have spoken to KANU Secretary General, Nick Salat, and he has promised his support, also Musalia Mudavadi of ANC have promised to stand with us,” said Odinga.