The National Security Advisory Council (NSAC) has denied trying to influence the outcome of the presidential poll during their meeting with IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati at Bomas.

Admitting to the August 15 meeting, NSAC clarified that it sought a meeting with Chebukati to address security concerns following the delayed release of the presidential poll results.

The council wants the Supreme Court to accord it time during the hearing of the eight petitions seeking to annul the presidential election results to tackle Chebukati’s claims that it tried to moderate the poll to benefit Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga.

NSAC further said it sought clarity from the IEBC bosses because intelligence reports had showed rising anxiety in some parts due to the delayed tallying and transmission of results.

Last week, in their affidavits filed in response to the Raila petition at the Supreme Court, Chebukati and Commissioner Abdi Guliye claimed NSAC tried to moderate the poll results.

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The duo alleged Principal Administrative Secretary in the Office of the President Kennedy Kihara, Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto, Police IG Hillary Mutyambai and Lieutenant General Francis Ogolla had come to Bomas to push for Raila to be declared winner.

But according to Kihara, NSAC only went to Bomas to brief Chebukati on security concerns and the situation following the delayed transmission of the presidential election results.

“The said meeting was necessitated by the fact that the NSAC, in the discharge of its mandate, had become seized of information to the effect that delays in declaring the results of the Presidential election, and the manner in which the results were being transmitted, including the stoppage of the public display of results, had generated considerable public anxiety and tension, and risked creating opportunity for chaos in parts of the country,” says Kihara in his affidavit.

He added that Chebukati had ignored the council’s previous requests for a meeting and denied claims by the IEBC boss that he implored him to declare results in a Raila’s favour.

“As the leader and spokesperson of the above named delegation, I did not at any time urge or implore the IEBC and Mr Chebukati to declare results in favour of any particular candidate in the Presidential election. Our presentation to the IEBC and Mr Chebukati, on behalf of the NSAC, concerned the need to expedite the process of declaring the result and ensuring transparency in order to avert public anxiety and suspicions that were gradually beginning to degenerate into chaos and violence in various parts of the country,” he adds.

In his affidavit filed at the Supreme Court, Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua, who chairs NSAC, has also denied Wafula Chebukati’s allegations on their visit to Bomas of Kenya.