‘I would have wished for Raila to be president,’ Former IEBC chair Hassan declares

Hassan who spoke on Citizen TV’s JKLive Show on Wednesday night expressed his admiration for the former prime minister at the time, saying he would have wished to have a taste of his presidency.

While recalling his relationship with Odinga, the former IEBC boss spoke highly of the former saying he had played a critical role in Hassan’s rising through the ranks.

According to Hassan, Odinga’s forthright character during his interview for various government positions influenced many decisions and he would have wanted to experience the same with Odinga at the helm of power.

 “I have a lot of respect for the Prime Minister and in my first job as the Commissioner of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC) and he was the chairman of the parliamentary select Committee on the Constitution; they interviewed us and I was among those selected from North Eastern Province,” Hassan said.

“That was one thing I say I tried to give him credit; there are times people would try and interfere with our nominations but he refused. I then became the chairman of AIC and then of IEBC with his support.”

He added: “If anyone I have respect and gratitude to, is him. And I really would have wished for him to win the elections to become our president because we needed to test his presidency.”

Hassan went on to even admit that the election outcome where ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner did not sit well with him.

He however noted that he was obligated by the Constitution to declare the winner and thus distanced himself from any personal preferences.

“As the chairman of the electoral commission, I only announced the will of the people; the results of the elections. That for me was a very difficult time but what can you do? That is the game, the name of the game so it was never personal,” he stated.