By Faith Anene, Kakamega
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has backed the national tallying centre as the venue for the final verification and declaration of presidential election results, saying the 2027 electoral process must follow the Constitution and existing election laws.
Barasa said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) must adhere to the legally established process of tallying, verifying and declaring presidential results.
He spoke at Iguhu ACC grounds in Ikolomani while issuing Sh4 million in grants to 80 groups comprising women, youth, persons with disabilities and widows.
“I thank the Supreme Court for the decision,” Barasa said, welcoming the ruling.
He said presidential votes must first be aggregated through the established electoral process before the final declaration is made at the national level.
“After presidential votes are cast, they must be tallied. The place where presidential results are declared is the National Tallying Centre,” he said.
Barasa cited Article 138 of the Constitution, saying it provides the framework for tallying and declaring presidential election results.
“I want to tell the opposition that we cannot declare presidential results through the back door. We must follow the Constitution,” he said.
The governor said the electoral process should follow the constitutional chain from polling stations to constituency tallying centres and ultimately the national tallying centre.
“I am telling our brother Senator Omtatah to stop being a busybody. Going to the Court of Appeal to challenge the Constitution, which provides how presidential votes should be declared, is wasting time,” Barasa said.
He also criticised Senator Okiya Omtatah over his legal challenge to aspects of the electoral process, accusing him of challenging procedures that are already provided for in the Constitution.
“I am telling our brother Senator Omtatah to stop being a busybody. Going to the Court of Appeal to challenge the Constitution, which provides how presidential votes should be declared, is wasting time,” Barasa said.
He said the broad-based political arrangement was prepared to support an electoral process anchored in the Constitution.
“We are prepared and we want IEBC to conduct the elections according to the Constitution because the Constitution gives us direction,” he said.
Barasa also criticised former President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing him of reviving what he described as propaganda surrounding the 2022 presidential election.
The governor urged Kenyatta to act as a statesman rather than revisit the disputed presidential contest.
“Uhuru Kenyatta, you are a statesman. Stop bringing propaganda at this time,” Barasa said.
He said ODM supporters had moved on from the 2022 election, pointing to the political rapprochement between Kenyatta, the late opposition leader Raila Odinga and President William Ruto after the polls.
“Stop telling people propaganda. Stop reopening wounds that we had forgotten,” he said.
Barasa questioned why claims that Odinga won the 2022 presidential election were not raised more forcefully at the time.
“Why didn’t you say Raila won the 2022 election?” he asked.
His remarks come amid renewed debate over the management, verification and declaration of presidential results ahead of the 2027 General Election.
