NLP Party Leader Augustus Kyalo Muli has refuted claims made by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka that he is a government proxy in the ongoing dispute over the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel.
Muli who claimed that he was elected to represent the Azimio coalition in the panel, dismissed the allegations as baseless and defended his election as fair and transparent.
“Kalonzo Musyoka claimed publicly that I am a proxy of the government. Let me categorically say this is a complete lie. I was elected by 16 out of 23 Azimio members. Even at the time of the election in July, Kalonzo was the de facto leader of Azimio. The members of that house voted for me. So where does the government’s hand come in?” Muli said.
He criticized Kalonzo for attempting to frame his selection as politically motivated, suggesting that the Wiper leader is trying to influence the process for personal gain ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“He wants to install his own candidate for his benefit. If you are already declaring your presidential bid for 2027, why start rigging the process now? This is not democracy,” the NLP Party leader added.
Muli emphasized his willingness to step down if the coalition agreed to replace him with a consensus candidate.
“I said earlier that I am willing to step down, but only for the right candidate. Let Wiper bring church elders, let us meet and discuss. We can’t keep fighting in public while the country is suffering. If the people who elected me decide I should step down, I will do so,” he added.
He accused Kalonzo of undermining the integrity of the selection process by imposing individual interests.
“Our focus should be on serving this country by selecting commissioners of integrity. What Wiper is doing now is imposing their person for personal gain. Where is the integrity in that?” Muli posed.
Muli called for unity and dialogue within Azimio, urging members to accept the verdict of the 16 representatives who voted for him.
“The commissioners we choose might not be ideal for everyone, but they will be the best for the coalition and the majority who supported me. Let us sit down and move forward for the sake of this country,” he concluded.
This dispute comes amidst a Court of Appeal injunction halting the formation of the IEBC selection panel, further complicating the already contentious process.