Kenyan Newspapers Review: Ex-IEBC Boss James Oswago Admits to Possibility of Rigging in 2013 Presidential Vote

On Monday, January 2, the dailies covered how Kenyans across the country welcomed the new year.

The papers also reported on President William Ruto’s 2023 New Year message and his plan to transform Kenya’s economy.

1. The Star

The newspaper reported that Ex-IEBC boss James Oswago said his instincts tell him that “there is a high likelihood that it was rigged.”

Oswago said there was a high probability that excess ballot papers were printed by unnamed actors and distributed to polling stations.

He disclosed that he could not set foot in his ancestral home in Uyoma village, Rarieda, Siaya, for six months after the disputed 2013 presidential election.

Oswago stated that his native Luo community was poisoned by political propagandists that he had failed their son Raila Odinga, who had faced off with former president Uhuru Kenyatta on who would take over from Mwai Kibaki.

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Another issue that impugned the election was what he called “a suspected mass collapse of technology.”

He said that while technology failure can be normal, the pattern and extent of the failure in 2013 raised serious prospects of rigging.

Oswago also questioned why the devices only performed a paltry 48% during the main elections despite strenuous training done by the election agency but yet they functioned well in the subsequent by-elections where stakes were not as high.

He further admits that there are issues at IEBC that need fixing, singling out the process of recruiting the commissioners as some of the areas that need a relook

2. The Standard

The daily reported that President William Ruto had summoned the Cabinet for a five-day retreat in Nyeri from Thursday, January 5.

The retreat aims to identify key deliverables for each ministry and audit progress on the Kenya Kwanza manifesto.

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The Cabinet is expected to discuss Universal Health Care, food security, climate change plans, the second phase of the Hustler Fund, and lowering the cost of living among others.

According to the publication, Ruto will use the retreat to audit the Kenya Kwanza administration’s 100 days in power and determine how to address the challenges faced.

Presidential Communication Service Press Secretary Emmanuel Talam said the retreat will bring together Cabinet Secretaries, Permanent Secretaries, and members of the advisory council who will harmonise their plans for the year.

“It’s an inaugural executive working retreat bringing together members of the executive that include CSs, PSs, and members of the advisory council. The agenda is to adopt the government’s economic transformation plan that focuses on the administration’s priority areas. It will be chaired by the president,” Talam said.

3. Daily Nation

The publication reported Meru’s first female MP Annrita Karimi cautioned Governor Kawira Mwangaza to “tread carefully” lest she suffers a fate similar to hers.

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Karimi warned that just like politicians filed trumped-up charges against her in 1975 and had her jailed for two years, Mwangaza risked being banished to political oblivion.

Recalling the 1975 incident, Karimi sounded a warning to the county boss, adding that Mwangaza should soldier on.

“That is what politicians did to me and I ask my sister to be careful when dealing with them. I admire her for the work she is doing in the community and she should soldier on,” she said

The former legislator reckons that Meru MCAs are at fault and that if they had their way, Ms Mwangaza would have been thrown out of office “for flimsy reasons”.

Mwangaza is the second woman in the history of Meru to be elected to an office beside the Women Rep post that came into existence after the 2010 Constitution.

4. Taifa Leo

The Swahili publication reported that according to President William Ruto, Kenyans have borrowed more than KSh20 billion from the Hustler Fund since it was launched on November 30.

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This marks a significant increase from the KSh 9.58 billion that had been borrowed by Tuesday, December 20 according to statistics released by Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui.

Ruto said many Kenyans continue to borrow from the government kitty to boost their businesses, adding his administration will increase the allocation to the revolving fund.

The Head of State said next month the government will launch the second phase to cater for Saccos and other small institutions to give all Kenyans an equal opportunity to borrow at a small interest to boost their businesses.

He said the Kenya Kwanza government is building the economy by empowering Kenyans economically.

The Head of State said he is seeking to invest in areas that will drive the growth of the economy sustainably, insisting that Kenya will not be trapped in debt.

Source: TUKO.co.ke