Raila ally SK Macharia spills poll secrets
A close ally of opposition leader Raila Odinga on Saturday called for a complete overhaul of the voter register, alleging irregularities in past elections, including the 2022 polls.
This came as the former Prime Minister challenged critics of President William Ruto, whom he has now entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with, to prepare themselves for the 2027 General Election instead of demanding the Head of State’s resignation or removal before then.
Samuel Kamau Macharia, founder and chairman of Royal Media Services, popularly known as ‘SK’, claimed that Mr Odinga had won the last four presidential elections
He revealed that he had hosted the four Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials who were later dismissed and had raised concerns about the voter register. He said he had also warned Mr Odinga about the anomalies but was dismissed, as the latter placed his trust in then-President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“In the 2022 General Election, we went to Naivasha to strategise for Raila’s candidacy. At Naivasha, I tried to explain that the voter register to be used was fraudulent, but Raila was impatient. He had faith in the handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta and cut me short. The four commissioners who were later dismissed came to my house, and I showed them how the voter register was manipulated. That, along with the issue of Chris Msando, is how the votes were rigged,” said Mr Macharia, who has backed Mr Odinga since his first presidential bid in 1997.
He was speaking in Maanzoni, Machakos County, during the burial of Colonel (Rtd) James Gitahi, a retired Kenya Air Force pilot who died in a road accident two weeks ago and who had flown Presidents Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki during his service in the military. Gitahi was the husband of Nominated Senator Betty Montet.
Mr Macharia referenced the late Chris Msando, an IEBC official who was murdered days before the 2017 election, and the so-called Cherera Four – then-IEBC Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera and commissioners Justus Nyang’aya, Francis Wanderi, and Irene Masit – who later clashed with Chairman Wafula Chebukati and commissioners Prof Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu over the 2022 poll results.
Mr Odinga later challenged the election outcome at the Supreme Court, but his petition was dismissed for lack of evidence, with the court ruling that divisions within the commission did not affect the integrity of the vote count or the final declaration.
Growing increasingly vocal during his speech, Mr Macharia rebuffed attempts by his wife, Purity Gathoni, to interrupt him, insisting he was ready for any consequences.
“I am 84 years old. If I get kidnapped or hijacked, it does not matter. I want to tell President Ruto – and it is good that Raila is here – that if he wants to leave behind a good legacy, whether or not he was duly elected, he should ensure the creation of a new voter register. This way, in the next election, all Kenyans can vote fairly. Even if he loses, he will leave behind a country where the rightful winner is chosen by the people,” he said.
The funeral, dominated by political discourse, was attended by senior leaders, including Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, who backed the newfound working relationship between Mr Ruto and Mr Odinga.
Senior military officials, including former Chief of Defence Forces Samson Mwathethe, eulogised Mr Gitahi as a kind-hearted leader who mentored and inspired many pilots. They highlighted his contributions to training Kenyan aviation instructors, reducing the need for Kenya Air Force pilots to seek specialised training abroad.
Mr Odinga concurred with Mr Macharia’s assertion that the only free and fair election held after the introduction of multiparty democracy was in 2002 when President Kibaki was elected.
“You all know what happened in the other elections – Mr Macharia has just told you. You say you want me to win in 2027, but I have won so many times, only that I have never been declared the winner. That is why we pushed for the IEBC servers to be opened, because we knew we had won. Did they open them?” he asked.
The former Prime Minister, however, defended his decision to work with President Ruto, stating that democracy is a process.
“The most important thing is that Kenya is bigger than all of us. Democracy is a process – it is not instant coffee that you brew and drink immediately. There is no point in asking me to contest the 2027 General Election if the country will be in turmoil by then. Kenyans need to live between now and 2027. The cost of living is high, food prices are unbearable, taxation is excessive, and corruption is rampant. That is why we have come together to push for the 10-point agenda,” he said.
Mr Odinga dismissed Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu’s call for him to abandon President Ruto and instead form an alliance with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
He also rejected calls for President Ruto’s resignation, arguing that those advocating for his removal had no clear alternative.
“We will get to 2027, but Kenyans are facing immediate problems that need urgent solutions. We cannot be in a constant campaign mode for five years – the country would stagnate. We must find a balance where work is done before transitioning into campaign mode,” he concluded.
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