Githu warns of 2017 election delay in IEBC chiefs exit push

Parliament may be forced to postpone the August 2017 General Elections if the joint House committee on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) recommends removal of nine commissioners from office.

Attorney-General (AG) Githu Muigai Wednesday warned that removing the electoral agency chiefs would affect the election preparation timelines as advised by the Justice Kriegler commission.

“If we tell the IEBC commissioners go home, we will need a minimum of 24 months and this is so expensive, politically,” Prof Muigai told the committee co-chaired by senators Kiraitu Murungi (Meru) and James Orengo (Siaya).

That means should the board of the electoral agency be dissolved this month, the upcoming elections slated for August next year would be pushed to mid-2018 based on the AG’s assessment.

Prof Muigai said recruitment and training of new commissioners would take time in readiness for the general election.

If the commissioners opt to vacate office on their own volition, he said, this would also present challenges in compensating them.

Last week, the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) proposed to work out a sendoff package for electoral agency chiefs.

The proposal was made at a meeting to deliberate a petition by a Bungoma resident Barasa Nyukuri, seeking the removal of IEBC commissioners from office.

Mr Nyukuri wants the IEBC bosses removed for incompetence and lack of integrity.

Four commissioners have indicated willingness to resign following sustained public protest led by the opposition Cord.

The opposition, led by Raila Odinga, has accused the electoral agency of incompetence and being biased and believes it has no capacity to oversee free elections.

Last month it staged weekly demonstrations seeking dialogue with the government, which often turned chaotic.

This prompted President Uhuru Kenyatta to form a joint committee comprising members of his ruling Jubilee party and the opposition to discuss the fate of the agency.