BY SAM ALFAN.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has trashed petition filed by Opposition leader Raila Odinga.
“We are not computer generated leaders-Uhuru answers Raila as he trashes the election petition
President Uhuru Kenyatta has opposed NASA election petition saying that he won fairly.
In his affidavit the president says that hat he attended over 600 rallies in practically every part of Kenya to seek a second term .
In a sworn statement filed in court in opposition to Nasa’s petition, President Kenyatta denied claims by his main challenger, Mr Raila Odinga, that he used State resources and civil servants to campaign for his re-election.
Kenyatta says that they are not computer generated leaders.
The president says that his strategy succeeded as demonstrated bythe electoral results in all six elections .
Further he argues that the August 8th polls were conducted peacefully and in accordance with the law and International law.
“I deny that I corruptly influences voters in the run up August 8th elections as alleged by Raila Odinga,”argues Kenyatta.
Raila’s claims the president says are vague and generalized due to want of material particulars .
“I deny that i contravened the rule of law and the principles and the conduct of a free and fair election through the use of intimidation,coercion of public officers and improper influence of voters .
“The allegations are devoid of any evidentiary or legal basis,”says Uhuru.
The president says that Raila”s allegations are a violation of deputy presidents rights to natural justice as it charges Ruto with an offense when he’s not a party to the petition and accordingly has no opportunity to respond to the allegations.
“I deny that while addressing campaign rallies in Makueni,i threatened the local chiefs who were not campaigning for me,”reads the affidavit .
Uhuru says the true position is that he was cautioning chiefs not to depart from their obligations to maintain political neutrality.
Uhuru wants the seven Supreme Court judges to dismiss the election petition filed against him.
He added that he was not aware of any Cabinet secretaries who actively campaigned for him and that in any event, Section 23 of the Leadership and Integrity Act exempted Cabinet secretaries from the requirement of political neutrality.
The President also defended a massive media campaign launched by the Government during the elections to promote Jubilee achievements over the last five years, saying that they too, (Opposition) had freedom of expression to tell the public what they had achieved.
He reiterated that the work of Government, including launching projects and compensating citizens affected by the 2007-2008 post-election violence, was continuous and not suspended during the election period, and could form a basis for challenging his election victory.
Deputy presidential chief agent Winifred Guchu argued that there were no significant numerical discrepancies between Form 34A (polling station results) and Form 34B (constituency tally) as alleged by Dr Oduwo in his affidavit in support of Raila’s petition.
“I now produce a report that demonstrates that after reconciling discrepancies in the forms attached to Oduwo’s affidavit, the net effect is that the petitioner’s tally improves by 595 votes while that of JP candidates decreases by 1199 votes.”
The President’s team was led by lawyers Ahmednasir Abdullahi, Katwa Kigen, Tom Macharia, Evans Monari, Ken Ogeto,Jubilee Party Director of legal services ,Marry Kagen Jubilee chief agent Davis Chirchir and his deputy Winnie Guchu.
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