Deputy President William Ruto has come out to oppose a proposed bill at the National Assembly that seeks to bar live streaming of presidential results either by television or online platforms.
Taking to his social media page, DP Ruto said that the proposed amendment on the election law is a plan for some individuals to interfere with election results.
According to Ruto, the continuous effort by the government to amend various clause of the elections laws were meant to install ODM leader Raila Odinga as the next president of Kenya.
He further claimed that the proposed amendment was meant to interfere with the democratic rights of Kenyans, a plan he said was evil and must be resisted by the people of Kenya.
“The never-ending onslaught through election law amendments is a choreographed attempt to install a puppet on the Kenya electorate and sabotage our freedom of choice and hard-earned democracy. The plan is evil and must fail. The people have resoundingly said HATUPANGWINGWI,” he said.
Ruto’s statement comes after National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya sought an amendment to the Elections Bill.
If the amendment is passed, the new law will also determine how the presidential election results on August 9, 2022, General Election will be relayed.
The Bill proposes to ban live streaming of the presidential results either by television or online platforms.
Under the current law, the electoral commission is expected to provide information and establish a mechanism for the live streaming of results as announced at the polling stations.
The Elections (Amendment) Bill 2021, also seeks to have the decision of the High Court on a petition filed against a governor heard and dispensed off by the High Court while that of a Member of the County Assembly (MCA) be determined by a Resident Magistrate’s court.
Further, the Bill seeks to safeguard the transmission of the presidential results from the polling stations to the national tallying centre.
DP Ruto has, however, dismissed the changes noting that the amendments are illegal and unconstitutional. He noted that such an amendment puts the sovereignty of Kenyans under a great threat.
“The desperate efforts to install kitendawili by forceful, illegal, undemocratic and unconstitutional means portends a troubling future for Kenya. Its democracy is the rule of law, freedom of its citizens and ultimately, everyone’s well-being.
The assaults on the Constitution through reckless legislative and administrative sleights off-hand, by dark forces operating in shadows, are fundamental ingredients of a coup – the sovereignty of the people of Kenya is under grave threat,” he said.
