Open servers for audit to challenge whistleblower, Azimio tells IEBC
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka (centre) with other Azimio leaders during a media briefing at his Karen office on January 19, 2023.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition has challenged the electoral commission to allow a forensic audit of its servers to dispel claims by a whistleblower that Mr Raila Odinga won.
The coalition yesterday said it is not too late for a forensic audit of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) servers to get the truth on the actual votes garnered by both Mr Odinga and President William Ruto in the August 9, 2022 polls.
Led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his Narc Kenya counterpart Martha Karua, Azimio said it had demanded full access to the servers during the presidential petition but this was denied by both the court and IEBC
“This is the data that we asked for in court but IEBC deliberately sat on it and they were supported by the courts, but finally the truth is out,” Ms Karua said.
She added: “We have been saying that we won the August poll and now the figures from the whistleblower reinforce what we have been saying.”
Other members of the coalition present at the press conference included Azimio Secretary-General Junet Mohamed, former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni, Kathiani MP Robert Mbui and lawyer Makau Mutua.
"Fresh evidence"
The coalition on Tuesday provided what it claimed is fresh evidence indicating that Mr Odinga won the presidential election but was rigged out.
Azimio La Umoja Party leaders Raila Odinga and Martha Karua look at a document at the Milimani High Court in Nairobi on August 22, 2022.
Azimio cited a document provided by a whistleblower allegedly working at IEBC that indicates Mr Odinga garnered 8,170,353 votes (57.3 per cent) against Dr Ruto’s 5,915,973 (41.66 per cent). When Dr Ruto was declared President-elect, IEBC said he had garnered 50.49 per cent of the vote against Mr Odinga’s 48.5 per cent.
Ms Karua who was Mr Odinga’s running mate in the August poll says the electoral commission has a duty to provide a credible and verifiable poll which can only be authenticated through a forensic audit of its servers.
Smartmatic International Holding B.V, the company that provided IEBC with voting technology, declined to open the national tallying centre servers citing security issues. The company said that in addition to violating their IP rights, opening the servers would also jeopardise elections in other countries that are using or have used their systems.
Mr Musyoka yesterday said they still have more shocking revelations on what transpired during the elections and they will release more data after Mr Odinga returns from South Africa.
“There are more revelations in our possession that will unearth the filth in the 2022 General Election. This was not an election but a sham,” Mr Musyoka said. “We want to commend the IEBC whistleblowers who now enjoy full protection under the law for bringing this to the public. These are real heroes.”
Mr Kioni said: “For us in Mt Kenya, we allowed you (Ruto) to come and sell your agenda to us but you lied, stole our votes and now you want to steal our souls. We will not allow you to do that...now we have the truth and we challenge IEBC to provide alternative facts if they have them. ”
The coalition remained tight-lipped on its next move, with leaders saying they are consulting internally as they await Mr Odinga’s return this weekend.
