The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was dealt a major blow following the resignation of three commissioners on Monday.
Consolata Maina, Paul Kurgat and Margret Mwachanya said they had lost confidence in the commission’s chair, Wafula Chebukati, prompting their resignation.
Their exit comes three days after Mr Chebukati suspended the commission’s chief executive officer, Ezra Chiloba.
They accused the chair of acting unilaterally and against the law in his decision to suspend the CEO.
“The removal of a commission CEO or secretary is a weighty matter and is one that should not have been introduced as a by the way,” the three said in a joint statement while addressing journalists at the Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi.
They added that in the past week, the IEBC leadership had issued false information purporting to represent the commission, besides serving personal interests contrary to laws that govern their conduct.
Self-reflection
They called on the electoral body to end the commissioners-versus-secretariat battles and instead self-reflect and end the internal divisions, following the challenges that faced the 2017 General Elections.
The resignation further adds to the woes facing IEBC amid allegations of political interference, which have appeared to water down its independence.
Just days before the October 26 repeat pol, commissioner Roselyne Akombe resigned, citing IEBC’s inability to conduct credible elections due to undue political interference.
The latest move now leaves only three serving commissioners, a further blow for the commission that has been fighting to save its credibility since the annulment of the August 8, 2017 election.
