Kenyan opposition party calls for electoral body reconstitution
Nairobi. The Orange Democratic Movement has called for a stakeholder forum to oversee the reconstitution of the embattled electoral commission and its Secretariat.
In a statement, ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna blamed the Secretariat for the annulled August 8, 2017 presidential election.
The party has also backed the three-month suspension of the chief executive officer of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission IEBC, Mr Ezra Chiloba.
“The resignation of three commissioners ostensibly to protest the commencement of disciplinary action against the CEO confirms our long held fears that the rot at the IEBC goes to the very core of the organisation,” Mr Sifuna statement reads, referring to Monday’s exit of election commissioners Ms Consolata Maina, Dr Paul Kurgat, and Ms Margaret Mwachanya.
The ODM official accused the three commissioners who resigned on Monday of having allowed Mr Chiloba the freedom to conduct Secretariat affairs without proper checks.
“Why would the three commissioners not allow for the investigations to be completed prior to resigning? What do they know? What are they running from?” asked Mr Sifuna.
Mr Sifuna named Mr Chiloba, his two deputies Mr Marjan Hussein Marjan and Ms Betty Nyabuto, as well as ICT head James Muhati and head of operations Ms Immaculate Kassait as some of the Secretariat staff who should be sacked.
Meanwhile, The Justice and Legal Affairs committee of the National Assembly was Wednesday morning forced to reschedule its planned meeting with three electoral commission officials.
The committee chaired by Baringo North MP William Cheptumo, had summoned IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati and commissioners Boya Molu and Prof Abdi Guliye over the problems the agency is facing.
The House team also planned to seek their views on the proposed changes to the IEBC Act.
However, Mr Cheptumo said that Mr Chebukati wrote to the House clerk Michael Sialai requesting for a reschedule as they were busy supervising the ongoing by-elections in Kinondo Ward, Kwale County and Ruguru Ward in Nyeri County.
“Because their reason for failing to come is valid, the committee will deliberate on their appearance at a later date,” Mr Cheptumo said.
The crisis at the IEBC boiled over on Monday after half of its commissioners resigned “with immediate effect”.
Vice-chairperson Connie Nkatha and commissioners Margaret Mwachanya and Paul Kurgat said they left the commission because they have no faith in Mr Chebukati and his leadership.
They accused Mr Chebukati of making unilateral decisions including the case of the CEO Ezra Chiloba, who is on compulsory leave over internal audit queries in the procurement and management of the 2017 General Election.
Last year, Roselyn Akombe resigned from the commission ahead of the repeat presidential election citing the agency’s lack of capacity to conduct a free and fair election. (NMG)
The crisis at the IEBC boiled over on Monday after half of its commissioners resigned “with immediate effect”.
Vice-chairperson Connie Nkatha and commissioners Margaret Mwachanya and Paul Kurgat said they left the commission because they have no faith in Mr Chebukati and his leadership.
They accused Mr Chebukati of making unilateral decisions including the case of the CEO Ezra Chiloba, who is on compulsory leave over internal audit queries in the procurement and management of the 2017 General Election.
Last year, Roselyn Akombe resigned from the commission ahead of the repeat presidential election citing the agency’s lack of capacity to conduct a free and fair election.
Her position has never been filled more than six months since she left because of the gap in law.
Her position has never been filled more than six months since she left because of the gap in law. (NMG)
