Raila forced to change mind after crucial meeting with International Observers

dennis kibet

September 20, 2017 8:45 AM

The NASA leader made an abrupt U-Turn after the high level meeting at Capitol Hill.

The National Super Alliance (NASA) led by its leader Raila Odinga have now made a U-Turn on the role of international observers in the countrys electoral process.

Odinga together with co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Musalia Mudavadi met with the international observers at Capitol Hill in Nairobi on Tuesday where they welcomed them to monitor the repeat presidential elections slated for October 17.

The NASA leaders revealed they had changed their mind over the observers because they realised they play a key role in ensuring the credibility of elections.

"Although we may have had reservations about observers in the last elections, we acknowledge their critical role in the electoral process," Odinga said soon after the meeting.

Some of the observers who attended the meeting included delegations from the European Union (EU) and African Judges Jurist Forum Secretariat led by former Tanzania Chief Justice Chande Othman.

According to Mudavadi, they were satisfied with the observers' input and "ironed out their differences".

“Despite our earlier criticism of international observers, we still need their input in elections. We have taken cognisance of their recommendations to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. We are not against them,” Mudavadi stated.

Shortly after the conclusion of the August 8 polls, the observers praised the handling of Kenya’s presidential election, with the EU mission saying it had seen no sign of manipulation despite NASA complaints.

Speaking after the Supreme Court nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's win, Odinga blasted the observers saying they "moved fast to sanitise fraud".

He demanded the examination of the role of international observers because they had put stability ahead of credibility.

“I think that the observers have not helped Kenyans resolve this dispute, they have confounded it by giving basically an approval to a fairly flawed process…and therefore I am very disappointed with former US Secretary Of State John Kerry and the other observers,” Odinga disclosed during an interview with the CNN.

(Photos: Twitter/Raila Odinga)

dennis kibet