Raila dismisses IEBC on demands for an increased BBI budget

Author: Eric Abuga 
AfricaPress-Kenya: ODM leader Raila Odinga (pictured) has accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission of plans to sabotage the BBI process.

Raila said IEBC commissioners and staff continue to earn huge salaries despite not having work to do after every general election.

He was speaking in Nyaribari Chache Kisii during the burial of Eng Barnabas Ariga, former Chief Engineer in the Ministry of Roads and Public Works.

In late October, IEBC acting CEO Hussein Marjan said a plebiscite would cost the country Sh14 billion, but the demands have since been dismissed by the BBI bill proponents.

“They have outrageous demands. The problem with this country is trusting the wrong people with public offices. Let them resign and give us an opportunity to hire a new team that can deliver results.”

Raila said it is not a must to verify all the four million signatures.

“The Punguza Mzigo team gave them 1.5 million signatures and they were able to verify them in a period of one month; they are now demanding more than Sh200 million. This is unacceptable.”

According to Raila, BBI will solve a number of challenges in the country that have for years led to post-election violence. “We have a chance to get out country back on track.”

In mourning the late Ariga, Raila said the country needs honest and competent leaders and civil servants who can drive the economy to prosperity.

He said, during his tenure as Ministry for Roads he entrusted the late Arigi with powers to oversee the expansion of major roads in the country, a responsibility he perfectly performed.

During the period, the Keroka-Nyangusu, Nyamira-Center, Gesusu-Keumbu and Chemosit-Kisii roads were tarmacked.

At the time the country had 9,000km of tarmacked roads and 46 per cent of the roads, according to Raila, were dilapidated.

“We have several people who can transform our country. Those we have in some offices cannot be trusted in our transformation plan. I speak about it because I know we can achieve better things; it is not hot air.”