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Wako calls for a fresh tallying
of poll votes
Published on January 4, 2008, 12:00 am
By Cyrus Kinyungu
The Attorney General has called for an independent team to tally
the presidential votes afresh and end post-election violence.
Mr Amos Wako said in a statement: "It is necessary, and I agree
with the Catholic bishops and others, that a proper tally of the
valid certificates returned and confirmed should be undertaken
immediately and on a priority basis by an agreed and independent
person or body."
Wako also suggested the formation of a government of all
parliamentary political parties to end the national crisis.
He, however, noted that only an election court could nullify the
election if a petition was filed because President Kibaki had been
declared elected.
Wako said forms 16 and 16A are documents that can be made
available for inspection by wananchi, adding that this could be
done without a court order or election petition filed.
"Such an exercise will go a long way in assuaging people’s
inflamed passions," he said.
Wako said this would help mediation, negotiations or constructive
dialogue aimed at arriving at legal, political or policy decisions.
"It is of necessity that PNU, ODM, ODM-Kenya and other
parliamentary political parties enter into constructive dialogue
for a political solution," he said.
He defended the law enforcing agencies, saying they were using and
will continue to use lawful means to ensure law and order was
maintained.
The AG warned against targeting communities, saying this could
result in serious crimes under international law, including
genocide and crimes against humanity.
Wako said leaders should speak and act in a manner that
contributed to peace.
The AG said the violent protests were degenerating into a
catastrophe, adding that if left unchecked, they would destroy the
nation’s economic and social fabric.
His statement came in the wake of revelations by the Electoral
Commission of Kenya Chairman, Mr Samuel Kivuitu that poll
irregularities in the presidential results could not be ruled out.
On Wednesday, Kivuitu revealed that he stumbled on a newly-filed
result form from one of the constituencies whose documents were
questioned by international observers and ODM.
It also comes at a time when hundreds of people have been killed
and thousands displaced over post-election violence.
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