GEOFFREY MBUTHIA ENTERTAINMENT SUB-EDITOR

13 August 2022

• Gachagua asserted that Azimio's claim of winning the majority of seats in the nation was one of its sideshows.

• The victor of the presidential election should be declared before the end of tomorrow, Sunday.

Rigathi Gachagua, William Ruto's running mate, has claimed that the Azimio la Umoja team is holding up the verification of Forms 34A and 34B at the National Tallying Centre in the Bomas of Kenya.

Gachagua said in a statement dated Saturday, August 13, that their rivals were stirring up trouble at the tallying center in order to hold up the process before the president-official elect's announcement.

Additionally, Gachagua defended their agents who were allegedly responsible for the altercation that took place at the Bomas on Friday, August 12.

"At the National Tallying Center, Forms 34A and 34B are now being verified. Although Azimio agents continually delaying the exercise, our agents are patient, disciplined, and courteous of the IEBC officials. As a result, the process is fairly slow."

The victor of the presidential election should be declared before the end of tomorrow, according to Gachagua, provided that the current pace is maintained and additional needless delays are prevented.

He added that anyone can now predict the election winner while simultaneously expressing trust in the process.

"You are encouraged to visit the IEBC portal and with a simple calculator, add the numbers to know the winner such that the announcement by the National Returning Officer will be a mere formality."

Gachagua asserted that Azimio's claim of winning the majority of seats in the nation was one of its sideshows after the Azimio team met with elected leaders at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

He advised Kenya Kwanza supporters to maintain their composure as they awaited Wafula Chebukati, chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), to publicly declare the winner of the presidential race.

Yesterday, amid accusations of issues in the verification process, an altercation broke out between Azimio and UDA agents, momentarily halting the verification of Forms 34A and 34B at the National Tallying Center.

As a result, the electoral authority was compelled to establish guidelines to control the procedure.