New battle lines have been drawn between Jubilee and Cord over the fate of IEBC, a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta moved to diffuse tension over opposition demands for electoral reforms.
In a day where two rallies where held in Nairobi and Nakuru, the two Coalitions maintained hard line positions and dashed hopes that a deal to unlock the IEBC standoff was in the offing.
On Tuesday, Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto made a to the Opposition chiefs in what was seen as a move to strike a deal to send home the IEBC top brass ahead of the 2017 polls.
But speaking in Nakuru when they led the nation in marking the 53 Madaraka Day celebrations, Uhuru and Ruto maintained that electoral reforms must be spearheaded by parliament.
The President hit out at Raila for allegedly disrespecting the very Constitution that he rallied the country to support in 2010.
“So how come the people who were leading us during the referendum are having a problem following the Constitution? That is why we are saying, please let's respect each other and follow the law,” Uhuru stated.
A visibly angry Ruto who spoke before the President challenged Raila's respect for the rule of law, following 'constant attacks' on independent institutions.
“If you say that you have a problem with IEBC, you have a problem with the Judiciary and a problem with Parliament, what are your credentials in so far as the rule of law and constitutionalism is concerned? What then do you believe in?" Ruto posed.
He added: “I wonder why they want to transact the business of Kenya either tete-a-tete over a cup of tea or in the street under a cloud of teargas. Why do we want to move in that direction? What happened to the most progressive constitution that we passed that is supposed to manage the affairs of our country?"
But addressing a charged Cord rally at Uhuru Park in Nairobi, Raila gave the government a four-day ultimatum to name its team to the “negotiating table” or they will return to the streets on Monday.
Raila and Cord co-principal Moses Wetangu'la said they will this morning name five MPs to sit with the Jubilee team to kick start talks on electoral reforms that involve sending home the Issack Hassan led team.
Referring to the 1997 Inter-Parties Parliamentary Group (IPPG) and the Koffi Annan-led mediation talks, Raila said the two processes were championed outside Parliament by a select group of MPs.
“We are following the law. Even IPPG people sat and agreed. We shall nominated five MPs so that they start talks on Friday. If there are not talks, on Monday we will be there [streets]. We want peace and we tell police that no law bars demonstrations,” the former Prime Minister said.
Raila said he told Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery that they would not be cowed by any amount or teargas. A police helicopter hovered in the skies above the thousands of Cord supporters as Raila spoke.
Raila admitted that indeed he and retired President Mwai Kibaki appointed the current IEBC commissioners but defended his onslaught, claiming the commissioners are involved in mega graft.
“When we appointed them we did not know that they would eat chicken. Yes we chose them but they have messed and it is their time to go home. If not there will be no elections,” Raila said
The Raila-Uhuru Tuesday meeting had diffused tension after weeks of bloody riots that led to the death of at least three Cord supporters in Nyanza. But the drift appear dash hopes of a speedy negotiated settlement of the electoral crisis barely 14 moths to next year's general elections.
Uhuru said he had invited Cord leaders to Afraha stadium for Madaraka Day Celebrations and wondered why the Opposition chiefs snubbed the national fete.
"They should know that there comes a day they would also want to lead and if you want to lead, you should respect those who are leading at the moment,”
According to Raila, the invitation came in too late when preparations for the Uhuru park rally had already been made.
Speaking to the crowds from China via a telephone link, Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka vowed that Cord resolve to send home IEBC Commissioners is unstoppable.
“Let us stay strong. IEBC must go. We are not turning back. Kenyans cannot accept their votes to be stolen again,” Kalonzo said from Beijing.
The former Vice President and Wetang'ula took on the government for allegedly mismanaging the country's affairs leading to isolation by regional states.
"Our country is alone ranger. Regional countries have isolated us and we have remained just alone. Uganda, Rwanda, TZ and South Sudan have left us as our brothers continue grandstanding that they can rule. It is because our country is being misruled,” Wetangula said.
The Parliamentary Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on Tuesday agreed to push for amendments to the IEBC Act to pave way for the constitution of a selection panel to pick new IEBC Commissioners.
According to the proposal, Cord and Jubilee will have two slots each while the Public Service Commission will have three.
The team of seven will then begin the process of appointing the new electoral bosses to oversee next year's polls.