‘Pray For Raila,’ Governer Elect Gladys Wanga Urges Supporters

• Wanga, a fierce Odinga supporter who was also contesting under the Azimio outfit, took to social media Tuesday morning to express her disappointment over the results.
• She urged her followers to stay calm, soldier on with their support for Odinga and pray for him.

Incoming Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has called upon supporters of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition to pray for the party’s leader Raila Odinga following the announcement of the final General Election results Monday evening.

Wanga, a fierce Odinga supporter who was also contesting under the Azimio outfit, took to social media Tuesday morning to express her disappointment over the results. 

“I am aware that many of you are currently hurting and struggling with disappointment and lack of clarity over what happened yesterday. As a strong supporter of Baba, I share your disappointment. I am hurt at a very personal level,” said Wanga.

She urged her followers to stay calm, soldier on with their support for Odinga and pray for him.

“In the meantime, let’s stand firmly behind Baba and pray for him,” she added.

While dismissing the polls outcome as “electoral fraud”, the governor-elect however divulged that the Azimio team was deliberating the way forward, hinting at a possible petition against the presidential results.

“Our very able legal team has assured us that the irregularities, the election malpractices and the lack of transparency with which Chairman Wafula Chebukati conducted the Commission’s business are so glaring that yesterday’s declaration cannot stand,” Wanga added.

She described the electoral process as “deeply flawed” before adding: “This matter is not over. The last word about it has not been spoken. The legal team has assembled and will be doing everything possible to ensure the right winner is declared.”

Leaders allied to the Azimio coalition allege that irregularities marred the electoral process.

Mr. Odinga, who was contesting for presidency under the party’s ticket lost narrowly to his rival, William Ruto, in the results released by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Odinga got 6,942,930 votes representing 48 percent of the total votes cast, while Ruto garnered 7,176,141 votes, representing 50.49 percent.

Wanga’s sentiments came just hours after Odinga’s running mate Martha Karua’s, who on Monday night hinted at a plan to challenge Ruto’s victory.

Soon after the official announcement of Ruto’s victory, Karua took to Twitter, saying “It is not over till it is over.”

Moments before Chebukati announced the final results of the presidential election, Odinga’s chief agent, Saitabao Ole Kanchuri claimed that the systems used by the electoral commission to tally the results of the presidential contest were compromised ahead of the official announcement by the electoral body.

Meanwhile, a petition challenging the presidential election results should be filed within seven days from the declaration of the results by IEBC.

According to the Supreme Court, the petition will then be determined 14 days from the day it was filed.

Citizen