[mashadasms]

Can u believe the kind of thing that happened in Nazi Germany n Rwanda is happenin in Kenya- burnin people in Church! God help Kenya. NIMROD Wambugu, Kenyan

[mukapa001]

it would have been worse with raila in power. majimbo which he supports is the most stupid thing i've ever heard about. thats crippling our tiny nation and causing a revolution. he has a tainted image anyway. 82 coup, kisumu molasses among others.....lets unite and stop tribalism. we are of the same colour when the lights go off........

[Mwananchi madhubuti]

Kenya: I Acted Under Pressure, Says Kivuitu





Email This Page

Print This Page

Comment on this article

View comments




The East African Standard (Nairobi)

2 January 2008
Posted to the web 1 January 2008

Isaac Ongiri
Nairobi

On Tuesday night, Mr Samuel Kivuitu made a damning admission that he announced results of the fiercely contested presidential election under pressure.

The announcement plunged the country into a post-election violence of a scale never witnessed before.


The magnitude of the Electoral Commission chairman's admission and the further dent on the credibility of the election was captured in his answer when asked if indeed President Kibaki won the elections: "I do not know whether Kibaki won the election".

Kivuitu continued with his stunning revelations when he said he took the presidential election winner's certificate to State House, Nairobi, after "some people threatened to collect it while I'm the one mandated by law to do so".

"I arrived at State House to take the certificate and I found the Chief Justice there, ready to swear-in Kibaki," Kivuitu said.

On claims that he was under undue pressure to declare results, Kivuitu said: "Some PNU (Party of National Unity) and ODM-Kenya leaders put me under pressure by calling me frequently, asking me to announce the results immediately".

President Kibaki ran for re-election on a Party of National Unity ticket, while Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, made his bid on an ODM-Kenya ticket. Mr Raila Odinga, who has said he was robbed of victory, ran on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket.

On Tuesday, Kivuitu said the alleged pressure to declare results came in the wake of parallel pressure from a number of ambassadors from the European Union countries and Mr Maina Kiai of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights not to announce the results until complaints, which arose, were addressed.

"I had thought of resigning, but thought against it because I don't want people to say I'm a coward," he said. The embattled ECK chairman made the revelations shortly after meeting with 22 ECK commissioners.

On Tuesday, Kivuitu conceded that matters that arose from the poll results were so urgent that they should be taken to court, and the ruling done with minimum delay to ease national tension.

Court settlement

"If this matter is finally taken to court, the ruling should be made urgently so that if it were decided that Raila is the President, so be it. If it is Kibaki, so be it," he added.

Kivuitu said he made the decision, whose far-reaching implications are now being felt across the country. He said he announced the results because the commission had no legal mandate to investigate complaints raised by the opposition immediately.

Kivuitu fell short of naming the individuals from the two parties - PNU and ODM-Kenya - who coerced him to announce the disputed poll outcome, but went on to announce that the commission was consulting eminent lawyers over the next course of action "so that its actions remain within the law".

The EU observer team has discredited the poll results and urged for an independent audit.

On his part, Kivuitu said he backed independent investigation into what may have happened, but added that this would be only if the law would provide for it.

"We are culprits as a commission. We have to leave it to an independent group to investigate what actually went wrong," the chairman said, stunning local and international journalists, who had gathered at his Nairobi residence.

It has also emerged that some countries concerned with the poll outcome, like South Africa, had sent in their electoral officials to the country.

Relevant Links

East Africa
Kenya
Legal and Judicial Affairs



Kivuitu said the officials would be arriving on Wednesday "to look into the matter".

On Tuesday, Kivuitu was in a meeting with his 22 commissioners, which his deputy, Mr Kihara Muttu, described as "a house-keeping meeting".

In a signed statement, the 22 commissioners condemned the violence, which up to last night had claimed the lives of about 300 people.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click here to follow fast-breaking Kenya election news and join the discussion on our Kenya page »

[M.W.A.F.R.I.K.A]

Originally Posted by mukapa001

it would have been worse with raila in power. majimbo which he supports is the most stupid thing i've ever heard about. thats crippling our tiny nation and causing a revolution. he has a tainted image anyway. 82 coup, kisumu molasses among others.....lets unite and stop tribalism. we are of the same colour when the lights go off........

Your post is REALLY PATHETIC.. The real issue is that supporters of ODM have been shortchanged and duped by the ruling elite whom we all know... Majimbo was not going to be enacted immediately ODM came into power it was going to be discussed and the public educated on what it really meant (since there was too much propagand being spread about the issue)...After this it would be taken to the electorate kwa refurundum..

Before you point out on the spec on other peoples eye remove the LOG from yours.. ati 82 coup... Why was Raila detained without trial????? Most if not all, of those charged with treason were hanged... As the situation is right now kibaki has shown who the real COUP MASTER IS?ARE (yeye na michuki) they took power in the most undemocratic manner and are ruling by the barrel of the gun....

STRUGGLE FOR THE 3RD LIBERATION CONTINUES>>

[kasmall]

Do we need anyone to come from outside to look into the matter.All this mess that we got iny\to stems from Kivuiutu's lack of principals and moral codes.Had he not agreed to the whims of the kikuyu mafia and waited for proper results, then we would have been ok.Kenyans are peace loving but they shouldnt be pushed to please individuals.Kivuitu should not just own up but apologise to the men and women in Kenya.

[nyira]

God will redeem our country.He loves when his children live at peace and in harmony.But when injustice has been done,trust me,there is an aftermath!.there was irregularities kivuitu himself said it and its a pity WE CANT SEE!!. The jews even if were a chosen nation by GOD,did against the will of God.They discriminated against the Gentiles calling them uncircumcised.God was not happy and u know what happened.Hitler was a wicked vessel but was used to punish the jews and he termed it THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION TO THE JEWISH PROBLEM.If u have never read the Bible pliz do so for you to know the true character of God and what He requires of us.May His Holy Spirit be with u as you read The Bible-The answers are there.JUSTICE MUST ALWAYS PREVAIL FOR GOD'S PEOPLE-black,white,yellow,colourless,muslims,xtians,budhi sts,hindu,etc.

[nyira]

God will redeem our country.He loves when his children live at peace and in harmony.But when injustice has been done,trust me,there is an aftermath!.there was irregularities kivuitu himself said it and its a pity WE CANT SEE!!. The jews even if were a chosen nation by GOD,did against the will of God.They discriminated against the Gentiles calling them uncircumcised.God was not happy and u know what happened.Hitler was a wicked vessel but was used to punish the jews and he termed it THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION TO THE JEWISH PROBLEM.If u have never read the Bible pliz do so for you to know the true character of God and what He requires of us.May His Holy Spirit be with u as you read The Bible-The answers are there.JUSTICE MUST ALWAYS PREVAIL FOR GOD'S PEOPLE-black,white,yellow,colourless,muslims,xtians,budhi sts,hindu,etc.

[Ishka]

This just goes to confirm how fragile how social fabric is. Within hours, neighbours have slashed each other, whole country is on fire. Why? Because 2 fellows hungry of power.
Shortages have started biting. The small businesses are suffering and obvious the economy will suffer. Why?
It is time to rise beyond these tribal lines. Development does not arise from looting and burning property. Whether Raila or Kibaki or Kalonzo or whoever became the president, it is the individual's effort that would put "ugali" on his table.
Lets all ask our friends, families and Kenya as a whole to heal these wounds as a matter of urgency. Stop fighting, other things will follow.

[OJIBABA]

IF KWELI HII SHIDA ITAISHA. NI LAZIMA THE TRIBES THAT ARE BEING TARGETED STAND UNP AND SAYS ITS TRUE THAT ELECTIONS WERE RIGGED.
AND NOT SAY ETI HATUWEZI KUTAWALIWA NA JALUO AS I HEARD SOME GUY SAY THAT IN A PUB, YET HE WAS SPEAKING TO SOME LUO WHO VOTED FOR KIBAKI ON HIS ECNOMIC RECORD AND NOT ON TRIBAL LINES.

WAT TRANSPIRED LEFT ME SHOCKED, BECOZ THE GUY CARS WAS BURNED IN MIKINDANI PLUS HIS ENTIRE SHOP.AND MANY KIKUYU PROPERTIES

AND THE ARSONIST ADDES ETI WHACHA AENDE Equity Bank atapwea zingine.
JAMANI CHUNGA MDOMO WAKO PIA SPEAK LOGIC NOT VERBAL ****. I HAVE LEARNED TO SPEAK VERY LITTLE BUT SENSIBLE.

[wama]

Great danger lays ahead. Pray and never cease to pray. Act like people with hearts for the sake of the children and our future.