From left, IEBC commissioner Yusuf Guliye, chairman Wafula Chebukati and commissioner Molu Boya when they appeared before the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on May 3, 2018. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE
The IEBC suffered a blow in mid-April following resignation of commissioners Consolata Maina, Paul Kurgat and Margret Mwachanya, denying the agency a quorum for key decisions.
The law demands the President announce a vacancy at the commission within seven days of receiving the commissioners’ resignation.
The Public Service Commission will then have 14 days to search for new commissioners, picked by a panel and approved by the President and MPs.
State House has remained mum over requests from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to make public the resignations of three commissioners and kick start their replacement.
IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati yesterday told Senators the Office of the President and that of the Attorney-General had not responded to his letters on replacements as he blamed ‘external forces’ seeking to sabotage the commission through exits.
“We wrote to the office of the President through the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua and the Attorney- General on April 20 pointing out the issues at hand, but we are yet to get responses,” he said.
The IEBC suffered a blow in mid-April following resignation of commissioners Consolata Maina, Paul Kurgat and Margret Mwachanya, denying the agency a quorum for key decisions.
Mr Chebukati promised to name the individuals who are determined to cripple the work of the commission soon after consulting other commissioners, saying that the unnamed persons have been calling him at night asking him to resign.
“I think there are some external forces who told them to resign thinking that the commission would become dysfunctional, but I want to tell them that we are going nowhere and we will continue with our duties,” Mr Chebukati said.
The law demands the President announce a vacancy at the commission within seven days of receiving the commissioners’ resignation.
The Public Service Commission will then have 14 days to search for new commissioners, picked by a panel and approved by the President and MPs.
The three commissioners announced their resignation 29 days ago citing lack of confidence in the chairman, shifting the focus to the President.
