Opposition leader Raila Odinga has declared he will never be a Presidential candidate again, reports the Financial Times (FT).
This is after he went neck-and-neck with Jubilee’s Uhuru Kenyatta who emerged the winner.
IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati declared Uhuru as the President-elect on Friday. He garnered 8, 203, 290 votes against Raila’s 6, 762, 234 votes.
But NASA led by Raila has rejected the results.
Raila during an interview with FT on Sunday stated: “I am not going to be a candidate again. We just want Kenyans to know what happened, what the whole world is not understanding is happening.”
Through his lead counsel and Siaya Senator –elect James Orengo, Raila has ruled out the possibility of challenging the results at the Supreme Court.
Orengo said the matter has been left in the court of public opinion.
On Sunday when he toured Kibera flanked by a host of ODM elected politicians, he called on Kenyans to boycott work on Monday.
He also said he would make a major announcement on Tuesday. It is not clear if he has had a change of heart and decided to contest the Presidential results at the Supreme Court.
Asked if he was trying underhand methods to take the Presidency, he said he has no intention to subvert the constitution and take over power.
He underscored that “it’s not about me. It’s not about Raila Odinga.”
“There is no point in people going to elections in the future queuing for hours to vote or running around for months campaigning. At the end of the day, it’s the computer at the national tallying centre that’s making the decisions.”
Raila has unsuccessfully vied in three elections: In 1997, 2007 and 2013.
Raila has come under fire from a section of political stakeholders accusing him of holding the country at “ransom”.
They say he should adduce evidence the polls were rigged.
In response as to why he has not tabled evidence to back his claim, he said in due course, he will table “compelling evidence”.
“We will show the kind of charade the whole world has been treated to.”
He said United Nations should conduct a comprehensive audit of the polls to give credence to his rigging claim.