- Bomas team has been hearing views from the public.
- Sabaot community wants new county, Mt. Elgon County.
Image: KEITH MUSEKE
Calls for a thorough audit of the 2022 presidential election and demand for more counties dominated week two of the bipartisan talks hearings.
Groups appearing before the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco) underscored the need to bring to an end the events surrounding the 2022 polls as well as addressing historical injustices that have condemned some communities to years of marginalisation.
Appearing before Nadco, Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC) called for an audit of the 2022 presidential election to eliminate doubts around the results announced by the IEBC.
"It is not too late. We can still do it and put the doubts and arguments to rest," PPLC national chairperson Evans Misati said.
At the same committee, emotions ran high as members of the Sabaot community made their case for Mt Elgon county, which they see as the only end to their years of marginalisation.
They want the new county hived off from Bungoma in Western and Trans Nzoia county in the Rift Valley.
The Sabaot are one of the nine sub-tribes of the Kalenjin of Kenya and Uganda.
Lawrence Kimutai told the committee that the colonial boundary separating Bungoma and Mt Elgon has divided the community.
"The boundary has been used to take land away from the Sabaot. It is a historical injustice that has made us captives," Kimutai said.
The team co-chaired by National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka started hearing oral submissions from the public last week.
The proposal by PPLC was a shot in the arm for Azimio leader Raila Odinga, who has been insisting that his victory was stolen and that an audit of the results would substantiate his claims.
The audit was one of the demands by Raila as he called for nationwide anti-government protests.
In the submissions, PPLC noted that it is policy that IEBC keeps it records for three years. "Lets do a complete audit of the presidential election results," Misati maintained.
PPLC is created under Section 38 of the Political Parties Act.
It comprises all registered political parties and provides a dialogue platform between parties, Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission and the Registrar of Political Parties.
Azimio has maintained that the cost of living, audit of the 2022 presidential election results and restructuring and reconstitution of the IEBC form part of talks.
However, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said the audit of the 2022 presidential election results should be dropped from the National Dialogue Committee agenda.
The DP said the 2022 presidential election was audited by the Supreme Court, which declared William Ruto as the validly elected President.
“Discussing the 2022 presidential election should be dropped. Let them proceed with the other agenda. Let them talk about reconstituting IEBC, embedding the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary and others,” he said.
PPLC further proposed that presidential election results should be transmitted to the national tallying centre and to the committee, media houses and a public portal as well.
Misati said the move would go a long way in eliminating doubts as well.