Why Azimio politicians visited 'Cherera four' at Yaya apartments - Raila explains

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga has broken his silence on meetings that politicians allied to his presidential campaign held with the four embattled IEBC Commissioners at rented apartments in Nairobi.

The four: Juliana Cherera, Irene Masit, Justus Nyang’aya and Francis Wanderi disowned the presidential election results that their boss Wafula Chebukati announced on August 15, citing “opaqueness” in the manner they were arrived at.

After the Supreme Court later upheld the elections, petitions were filed challenging their suitability to hold office and they have since resigned, save for Masit who is facing a tribunal appointed to preside over the petition hearings.

In last week’s proceedings, it was revealed that the Cherera-led faction met top Azimio operatives, including Raphael Tuju and Nick Salat, at Yaya Apartments in Kilimani.

An apartment manager appearing before the Justice Aggrey Muchelule-led tribunal revealed that the faction was visited by the two during their four-day stay.

It has also been revealed that one of Mr. Odinga's close allies settled the bill for their stay at the posh establishment.

In an exclusive interview with Citizen TV, Mr. Odinga defended the visits saying his team was in protest of the results Chebukati was to announce and wanted to know “the truth” of what was happening.

“The politicians were justified to visit these commissioners because they were saying No. Our people were actually justified to finding out the truth, because that was already ex post facto. The result had already been announced by Mr Chebukati,” Mr. Odinga told Citizen TV’s Trevor Ombija in the interview which aired on Tuesday night.

According to Yaya Apartments management, three units comprising three-bedroom apartments were reserved prior to the arrival of the four, who declined to register as guests when they arrived at the apartments hours after Chebukati declared William Ruto as President-elect.

Just before the commissioners arrived at the apartments, they had staged a parallel press conference at Serena Hotel where they distanced themselves from the results.

“They (Azimio politicians who visited) wanted to know what actually transpired. They are making too much noise about it in the so-called tribunal,” said Mr. Odinga.

The Azimio leader further took a swipe at the Justice Muchelule-led tribunal which was formed by President Ruto, terming it as illegal.

“That tribunal itself is illegal, the way it was constituted, the matter was rushed and before the bill was even taken to Parliament, the so-called Victor who brought the bill had already condemned the four commissioners as people who had put the country in turmoil,” he said.

According to Mr. Odinga, the fate of the four commissioners had already been sealed when the petition was being filed.

He dismissed the ongoing hearings as an utter “charade,” terming Justice Mucheule as someone whose conduct also needs to be looked into.

“We knew it was a charade and they couldn’t expect any justice before the tribunal. Justice Mchelule himself has got integrity issues. His name was mentioned in the Akasha trial in the U.S,” noted the ODM party boss.

“He has got a big file on him by the FBI yet he is now the angel trying the other commissioners? It’s a charade and we don’t expect any justice from that kind of tribunal.”