Chebukati dares Junet to prove Wetangula link in ballot tender deal

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati is now daring a section of political leaders who have alleged that he colluded with Kenya Kwanza co-principal Moses Wetangula in the ballot paper printing tender to table their evidence.

This comes after Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party Secretary General Junet Mohamed recently sensationally claimed that Chebukati and Wetangula held a secret meeting where they reportedly handed Greek firm Inform Lykos the tender to print the 200 million ballot papers.

"We know that you (Wetangula) held meetings severally in Karen with the IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati. You (Wetangula) can go to court if you want. We know every detail of those meetings," Junet said at a rally.

IEBC boss Chebukati, in a joint TV interview at the Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday, has however dared Junet to prove his allegations.

Chebukati termed the claims being leveled against him, as well as any other IEBC staff, during this period as mere propaganda only meant to derail their work ahead of the August General Election.

“Let him (Junet) produce whatever documentation he has, like yesterday, because I know for a fact that those allegations are false,” said the commission boss.

“Whatever allegations are being leveled against the staff of the commission are just malicious and I think they’re just meant derail us from doing the work we’re meant to do.”

Chebukati further distanced himself from the claims saying he has never even been to the Ford Kenya party leader’s home, terming the allegations as profiling.

He urged perpetrators of such allegations to stop, saying they were causing fear and panic at the commission as they’re coming at around the same time when IEBC’s ICT chief Chris Msando was killed in the lead up to the 2017 elections.

“I have not been to Wetangula’s home.  I look at that issue as profiling…there is a deliberate move to profile staff of IEBC, commissioners…it is a serious social campaign ongoing. And it is actually very sad that at this point in time there are people who are hell bent on profiling us for purposes which we don’t understand,” he said.

“If you look at our staff in the commission, especially ICT, they’re now frightened because their photos are on most of these gutter press and social media. And don’t forget that it was around this time five years ago when our ICT staff was murdered… this then becomes a very frightening moment when you have commissioners and staff being profiled.”