Jubilee Party leaders have castigated NASA flag bearer Raila Odinga over calls for the cancellation of the ballot papers printing tender awarded to a Dubai-based firm.
Together with President Uhuru Kenyatta, the leaders cautioned the opposition against interfering with IEBC's work less than two months to the August 8 polls.
Deputy President William Ruto exuded confidence that Jubilee will win the polls, no matter who is awarded the ballot papers tender.
"IEBC can give the ballot printing tender to Spectre International and Jubilee will still emerge victorious on August 8," the DP said in Busia on Wednesday.
He said Jubilee was not interested in which company was given the tender for printing ballot papers adding: “It is not the company that will vote but it is the people of our great nation who will vote come August 8.”
"To my brother Raila Odinga, please, start selling your agenda to Kenyans. Leave IEBC to do its work. IEBC has no votes, it's Kenyans who have the votes," Uhuru said.
They made the comments at Amagoro Primary school while popularising the Jubilee Party in Busia County.
In a tweet, Leader of Majority Aden Duale asked Raila to 'prepare for his fourth loss in a presidential election'.
He said the opposition chief has sensed defeat and is only crying wolf further asking the National Super Alliance team to let IEBC do what it needs to do to run a credible election.
"Chipping at it seems is a cheap shot. Raila Odinga, must stop looking for excuses for a loss he sees as inevitable and canvass for votes directly with the Kenyan people."
"President Uhuru Kenyatta has no interest whatsoever in any suppliers to the IEBC, which is mandated by law, to carry out the exercise," Duale said.
The JP leader said the election date will not be altered from the slated August 8.
"We have had 43 by-elections since 2013. 20 of them had ballots printed by the same company and ODM won. Why dint he decline then?" he asked.
The ballot papers tender is causing a storm in the country as the key political factions in the contest pull hairs on the matter.
Raila accused top Jubilee leaders of having a hand in the award of the ballot papers tender to Al Ghurair Printing.
The company is to print about 120 million ballot papers, election results forms, and poll registers.
The Opposition leader
said IEBC still has time to review the tender and pick another firm.
"The information we have indicates the firm has had contracts with senior Jubilee officials for at least three years," Raila said on Tuesday.
Earlier, NASA campaign manager Musalia Mudavadi called for the sacking of IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba and elections operations boss Immaculate Kassait.
The opposition leader alleged that the two have links to a Jubilee-leaning organisation.
"From the foregoing, it is clear that these two senior IEBC officers (Chiloba and Kassait) are currently the single most serious threat to the holding of a free and fair election," Mudavadi said.
"In these circumstances, the only option for IEBC is to cancel this tender and award it in accordance with the law to any other reputable international printers that are not associated with any stakeholder in the next election."
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There is an argument that the latest row is likely to derail the public confidence in the electoral agency ahead of the general election.
Chairman Wafula Chebukati has invited presidential candidates to a meeting on Thursday for deliberations on the matter.
He said the narrative was "dangerously derailing" them from fulfilling their constitutional obligation on the elections.
"IEBC undertook due diligence which confirmed the firm is qualified to undertake the printing of ballot papers," Chebukati said adding that the commission engaged the political stakeholders before making the decision.
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