Azimio-One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga yesterday dismissed claims by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati that there were attempts by senior people in government to manipulate the outcome of the August 9 presidential vote.

Speaking yesterday at AIC Olympic Church in Kibera, Raila wondered why Chebukati waited until now to reveal the alleged attempt to bribe election officials.

Instead, he challenged the IEBC chair to table evidence on the alleged attempts to bribe him and the other commissioners.

“Who was trying to bribe him and how much was he offered? He initially said that they wanted to attack him, now he claims that they wanted to bribe him,” he said.

“You failed to execute your duties yet you came out chest-thumping claiming that you knew what was happening,” Raila added.

At the same time, the former Prime Minister faulted the divisions in the commission, saying that it was a clear indication that the August 9 election had been compromised.

“Between the two groups, it is the truth I want to be told. Not just because of the 2022 elections but for posterity so that we do not have such charades in future elections.

“It is a shame for democracy. These people are trying to stage a civilian coup and Kenyans will not allow it,” Raila said.

The ODM leader maintained that he won the polls.

“IEBC is trying to stage a civilian coup and subvert the will of the people of Kenya. I am sure that I have not been defeated. I will therefore stand firm and I won’t be shaken,” he said.

He also defended his decision to file a petition challenging the election of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate William Ruto at the Supreme Court, terming it a quest to establish the truth.

“I am not scared. If I won, I won, if I lost, I will admit that I have lost. I am certain that I won and I will stand unshaken and the voice of the people of Kenya must be respected in the world,” he said.

The former Prime Minister added that he will accept the decision of the apex court.

He also asked Ruto to refrain from commenting about the case and allow the Supreme Court to perform its work without interference.

In his replying affidavit, Chebukati named senior government officials who he claimed wanted to subvert the will of the people at the Bomas of Kenya during the announcement of the presidential results.

Chebukati says about 10am of the said date, the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) members came to see him alongside other commissioners at the national tallying centre at Bomas and asked him to ensure a ru-off, if he could not declare Raila Odinga the outright winner of the election.

In his affidavit, he has listed the names of the NSAC delegation that were represented at the said meeting, including Principal Administrative Secretary at the office of the President Kennedy Kihara, Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto, Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and Lieutenat-General Francis Omondi Ogolla, the Vice-Chief of Kenya Defence Forces.

In his narration, Chebukati stated that prior to the arrival of the team, he had received a call from the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua informing him that he had sent a team that would like to discuss “assumption of office.”

The IEBC chairman noted that the message was relayed by Kihara, who, he said, cautioned that if he declared William Ruto as the President-Elect, “the country is going to burn”.

Kihara, Chebukati claims in his affidavit, told him that skirmishes between the Kikuyu and Luo communities had already started “in several slums including Kibera and Mathare” on the basis of alleged “betrayal by the Kikuyu.”

According to Chebukati, Commissioner Abdi Guliye was of the view that the commission has a constitutional mandate and that in declaring the results it will be guided by the same Constitution and applicable law.

Commissioner Boya Molu, he said, expressed a similar view.