IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati has insisted there is no room for former commissioners at the commission. This comes after three IEBC commissioners who had resigned in April sought a way back to their offices. Speaking to the press on Monday, IEBC chairman Chebukati said the commissioners had already cleared with the commission after their resignation, with the right procedures followed, and had handed over the vehicles, laptops, phones, IEBC badges, insurance cards and other assets. “As far as we are concerned they are not supposed to be working here and it has to be made clear to the country that there is no space for former commissioners at IEBC,” he said.
He said the commissioners went back to their offices on Friday, given that they still had keys to access their offices but the situation has now been rectified. “Today they came back to see me but we had pre-arranged meetings and they’re still ongoing so I didn’t manage to see them, but I’ve asked them to put in writing why they want to see me,” said Chebukati. He noted there may be mischief in the move, saying the constitution clearly governs the integrity of public servants, and the manner in which the former commissioners have gone about their business is wrong.
The three commissioners, Consolata Nkatha, Paul Kurgat, and Margaret Mwachanya resigned in April, and said following the severe deterioration of confidence in IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati, they found their positions as Commissioners under his leadership no longer untenable. The Commissioners, in a statement released during their resignation, said their positions required them to serve independent of any bias, prejudice, personal gain, benefit or care for political affiliation and must operate as a single unit and team. They also faulted Chebukati’s leadership, saying he couldn’t steady the sinking ship.