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Farah Maalim: We will ‘swear in’ Raila if IEBC tries to rig polls


The National Super Alliance (Nasa) has declared that they will “swear in” Raila Odinga in the event he “wins” the August 8 general elections, but the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announces otherwise.

Speaking during an interview with NTV’s Larry Madowo, veteran politician, Farah Maalim, who is a senior member of Nasa said that “it will be finished” if IEBC tries to rig the polls.

“If the IEBC tries to rig this election again, it’s finished. If our presidential candidate loses fairly, we will respect the choice of Kenyans. But if they try to do some hunky punky business they did in 2007 and 2013, we will not accept that,” said Maalim, a former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly.

To which Larry probed, “If you don’t accept the outcome and you then declare your own President, will you also swear in your own President?”

Maalim: “Absolutely, I can assure you.”

Larry: “Is it legal?”

Maalim: (Stammering) “It’s not… it’s… it’s legal to the extent that it is the winner who is being sworn in.”

Larry: Isn’t that a recipe for chaos?”

Maalim: Larry… Larry… why didn’t you call it a recipe for chaos when it was done in Gambia? When the people in Ghana were ready to do it? When the people in Nigeria were ready to do it? In Ivory Coast? This is the end of the road for people who think they can subvert, hijack, intimidate and usurp the will of the people. No!”

Mr Maalim reiterated that Nasa will have parallel tallying process to watch their votes.

Mr Odinga was on Thursday announced as Nasa’s flag bearer with Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka as his running mate.

The duo will face off with Jubilee Party’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, in a repeat of the 2013 general elections in which IEBC declare Mr Kenyatta the winner with more than 800,000 votes.

Mr Odinga, who at the time was leading the opposition’s Cord outfit, unsuccessfully filed a petition with the Supreme Court.