Tuju Unveils 4 a.m. Meeting With Chebukati

Raphael Tuju, Executive Director of Azimio la Umoja, has spoken out about his secret meeting with Wafula Chebukati, Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), ahead of the latter’s announcement of presidential election results on August 15.

Mr. Chebukati filed an affidavit alleging that Tuju and former Busia Senator Amos Wako paid him a visit early in the morning to persuade him to skew the results in favor of one of the two leading presidential candidates in order to avoid a crisis.

Chebukati claimed that the Tuju-led team offered him a large sum of money, which he declined because the government already compensates him well for carrying out his duties.

Tuju shared his side of the story at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, admitting to seeking an audience with IEBC commissioners at the national tallying center at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi, rather than 3 a.m., as stated by Commissioner Abdi Guliye.

Tuju claimed he went to the Bomas of Kenya after receiving reports on Forms 34A swapping from the commission’s portal.

Tuju stated that he first raised the issue with Guliye, who advised him to contact the commission’s chair because he was unable to address it.

“I tried accessing the Chairman but was blocked by a senior police officer but after managing to access the facility through a back door, Chebukati refused to see me. He told me he was busy and I came back later, but kept on postponing. I waited until 4am,” Tuju said.

“The issue I brought to Guliye is I had gotten intelligence from an IEBC official on claims that some forms (34A) were being brought down from IEBC and others loaded,” he added.

According to Tuju, the case was referred to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), which interviewed the unnamed source of the allegations.

Tuju, on the other hand, claims that IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan threatened the source; “The young man had been threatened by Marjan.” He told him not to play with him because he would find out who Marjan is.”

Tuju went on to say that his efforts to raise the complaints with another senior IEBC official were futile because they said their hands were “tied” on the matter, prompting him to seek Chebukati himself.

He also refuted Chebukait’s “lies” about the Azimio team making him an offer, claiming that other IEBC commissioners were present and could testify.

Tuju also claimed Chebukati paid him a visit at a secret location in Karen without providing any details about their meeting on another occasion.

Tuju also claimed that Guliye and fellow commissioner Boya Molu, whom he described as “more auctioneers than commissioners,” paid him a visit at his Karen home and challenged them to make public the details of their conversation.
“I want commissioners Guliye and Molu to tell Kenyans what they came to do in my house. I will make CCTV camera footage available,” he said.