Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Wednesday, November 23, called journalists to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation for a press briefing.
According to the invite sent to the newsrooms, the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party presidential candidate was set to address the press at exactly 1400 hours.
However, at exactly 1420 hours, the veteran politician canceled the presser that was expected to address the plot by four petitioners seeking the ouster of IEBC Vice chairman Juliana Cherera and the three opaque commissioners.
Through his communications director Dennis Onyango, the opposition chief said he canceled the presser to allow the National Assembly processes to take place without external influence.
“To allow processes currently underway with regard to the summons to IEBC commissioners to proceed without prejudice, Raila Odinga will not address the subject as earlier announced. Our apologies for the cancellation,” Onyango said.
It is understood that at least four parties have petitioned the National Assembly seeking to have Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyang’aya, Francis Wanderi, and Irene Masit removed from office.
The petitioners accuse the four commissioners of attempting to subvert the will of the majority of Kenyan voters during the hotly contested August 9, Presidential elections.
However, the Parliaments committee on Justus and Legal Affairs has summoned the four breakaway commissioners to appear before it on Monday, November 28, and Tuesday, November 29, for grilling.
Just hours before the official announcement of the presidential results by IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati, the four commissioners retreated to Nairobi where they distanced themselves from the results that were yet to be announced by Chebukati.
The dissenting commissioners termed the presidential results announced by Chebukati on August 15 as a mathematical absurdity claiming that the total aggregation exceeded 100 percent with more than 142,000 votes unaccounted for due to the extra 0.01 percent.
“The Presidential results announced by Chebukati did not indicate the total number of registered voters, the total number of votes cast and the total number of votes rejected making them lack a critical ingredient to support the percentages given,” they said in a joint statement read by Cherera.