Ex-IEBC Commissioner Abdi Guliye Rubbishes Ruto-Raila Talks: "Mockery Of Democracy"

• Former IEBC commissioner Abdi Guliye questioned why Kenyans have polls if they do not respect the outcome and end up getting into post-election deals
• The retired commissioner described the talks initiated between President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga was a mockery of democracy
• Guliye said that it was time the country rethinks the election model, adding it was time to have Kenyans participate in the governance of their country

Nairobi - Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Abdi Guliye has opposed the planned talks between President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga.

During an interview with TV47 on Monday, July 31, the Guliye questioned the need for competitive elections in the country.

He observed that the commission used a lot of resources to oversee the process, and it would be a mockery of the process for the players to denounce the outcome.

Guliye said it was time for the country to decide on having polls or leave it to the political class to decide.

"What is the point of going into an election, spend billions of money on it. We the commission deploys in excess of 400,000 personnel across the country, you spend a lot of time and thereafter, you don't respect the outcome of that particular process. I mean, it's a mockery of democracy.

So I think Kenyans need to decide whether they want to have competitive elections or instead of having elections, they sit be under a tree whether it is in the State House or elsewhere and agree the political barons can agree on how to share power," he said.

He added that all the participants in the 2022 polls had committed at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) to abide by the outcome of the elections.

Guliye suggests new model for Kenyan polls

Guliye explained that it was time the country rethinks the model used during the successive polls.

He suggested that the country separate the county elections from the presidential polls.

"Maybe I had of the national elections, maybe one month. When I mean, six months one year apart? That's an option. Let's interrogate. First is it the best model for us in a country where we have in excess of I don't know 46 ethnic communities. Is this the most appropriate way of electing our leaders," he opined.

He added that there was a need to have Kenyans participate in the governance of their country. Guliye was also critical of the party primaries, terming them chaotic.

Guliye recounts 2022 Bomas chaos

Earlier, the retired IEBC commissioner opened up about the skirmish at the Bomas of Kenya after chair Wafula Chebukati arrived to announce the 2022 presidential results.

Guliye told TV47 that he, alongside Chebukati and Marjan Hussein Marjan (former IEBC CEO), went into hiding.

"We went into hiding after we announced the election results. Do you remember what happened at the podium," said Guliye.