Four Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners who fell out with their boss Wafula Chebukati have now indicated that they are ready to mend fences.
The four; IEBC vice-chairperson Juliana Cherera, commissioners Irene Masit, Francis Wanderi and Justus Nyang’aya, on Tuesday, September 6 issued a statement supporting IEBC’s announcement that it had conducted free, fair and transparent elections on August 9.
“We also state here that we agree with the statement of the chairperson of the commission, which was sent to the media yesterday. We wish to reiterate that we stand by the rule of law and statutes that promote effectiveness of the work of the commission,” the four IEBC commissioners said in a joint statement.
The four IEBC commissioners also said they respect the decision of the Supreme Court that upheld the declaration of William Ruto as President-elect.
“After the Supreme Court of Kenya made its ruling yesterday on the presidential election petition, particularly with regard to our role as commissioners, we wish to convey our appreciation to the honourable judges and confirm that we respect their collective decisions. We wish to convey our appreciation to the Honourable judges of the Supreme Court of Kenya and confirm that we respect their collective decision,” added the statement.
Chebukati on Monday September 5 said IEBC had been vindicated by Supreme Court’s verdict.
“The IEBC is finally vindicated. We look forward to the full judgment of the Supreme Court as well as feedback from our stakeholders during the post-election evaluation exercise which will inform areas of improvement in the electoral process,” Chebukati said in part in a statement.
Chebukati also skirted around the issue of the four IEBC commissioners, only saying the commission had not chased anyone away.
“As a commission, we follow the law and it is up to them and their conscience what they want to do going forward. We have not chased away anyone,” he said.
Press statement; Verdict of the Supreme Court on the Presidential Election pic.twitter.com/gqhgRz0jeW
— IEBC (@IEBCKenya) September 5, 2022
Petition to remove four IEBC commissioners
The move by the four renegade IEBC commissioners to support Chebukati’s statement that the electoral agency conducted free, fair and transparent elections on August 9 comes after two lawyers filed a petition to remove them from their jobs.
The petition was lodged at the National Assembly seeking to initiate the removal of the four IEBC commissioners over allegations of gross misconduct and incompetence.
In the petition, which was addressed to the National Assembly clerk and stamped as received by the assembly’s Main Records Unit, the two lawyers; John Wangai and Kevin Kiarie want the four commissioners removed from office for violation of the Constitution, Election laws and other enabling provisions of the laws.
