Tuju, Wako Offered Us A Bribe To Announce Raila As President Or Force A Run-Off – Chebukati Says

Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati now claims that they were offered a bribe to alter the 2022 Presidential election results in favor of Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga or force a run-off.

Testifying before the tribunal led by Justice Aggrey Muchelule on Tuesday, Chebukati intimated that on August 15, 2022, a team of three visitors walked into the holding room in Bomas at 3 a.m, where he was taking a nap, and demanded an audience with him. 

Chebukati said the visitors included former Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, former Busia Senator Amos Wako and advocate Kyalo Mbobu.

“I got information from my security detail and members of staff that there are gentlemen who want to see me. They walked in uninvited as I was in the holding room. I actually told my CEO that I would take a nap for one hour and was woken up by these men,” he narrated.

Shortly after the trio took their seats, Chebukati claimed that they introduced themselves and intimated the purpose of their visit, which was to discuss the then ongoing vote-tallying process.

He added that he immediately summoned all the IEBC commissioners before holding further discussions with the three.

“They introduced the purpose of the visit that they wanted to discuss about the tallying process and I told them if that’s the case I would have to invite all the commissioners to discuss,” he said.

“The commissioners were on the floor of the auditorium and it took them only a minute or two for them to join us.”

Chebukati told the tribunal that Amos Wako was the first to speak, sugesting that the commission should be willing to bend a few rules and “moderate” the results.

According to the former IEBC chair, Tuju echoed Wako’s sentiments, further recommending that if Chebukati would not consider moderating the results they should then force a run-off. 

Chebukati intimated that Tuju, at the tail end of his statement, offered a reward if their demands were met.

“The first speaker was Amos Wako who said that we should not operate in a vacuum and we should look at the bigger picture for the country and when you reach this kind of situation you can moderate results and achieve stability of the country,” said Chebukati.

“Tuju said that it was necessary that we moderate these results in favor of Baba and that any contrary declaration of the results would plunge the country into chaos. I understood Baba to be Raila Odinga,” he added.

“He said that in the alternative, if it was not possible to moderate the results, then we should ensure that there is a runoff. Tuju said that we consider the request then we shall be rewarded. We did not encourage him to expound the reward.”

The ex-IEBC chairman narrated that he then opened the floor for the commissioners to chime in their thoughts when commissioner Irene Masit, who is on trial, supported the proposal.

Chebukati claimed that he denied Masit’s view and maintained that they should abode by the oath of office.

“Commissioner Masit agreed with the remarks of Senator Wako and Tuju. That we should moderate the results. I said that the will of the people must be respected and live up to the oath of office.”