NASA Threatens to Boycott August Polls

The National Super Alliance (NASA) has threatened to boycott the August 8 polls if the electoral body IEBC succeeds in its application to have the Court decision requiring presidential results declared at the polling station levels revoked.

Siaya Senator James Orengo asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to pull out the petition challenging the High Court’s decision on tallying, failure to which NASA will not take part in the polls.

In April, the High Court ruled that presidential results should be announced at the polling stations and constituencies as opposed to the traditional way where presidential results could only be announced at the national tallying center. "In which interest is this appeal made? That's mischief and we will not participate in the elections of 2017," Orengo said.

In the application by the IEB, Chairman Wafula Chebukati argued that the Court declaration to have final results announced at the Constituency level was a recipe for chaos. "I was dismayed by that ruling for the simple reason that presidential results are supposed to be announced at the national tallying center by the national returning officer, who is the chairman of the IEBC. That is very clear in the law," said the IEBC boss.

But NASA dismissed Chebukati’s claim adding that it is an indication that IEBC is planning to rig elections in favor of Jubilee.