Chebukati Lists 10 Little-Known Offences Against IEBC Staff

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati on Monday, September 5 exposed 10 incidences of torment the commission's staff have had to go through during the August 9, 2022, general elections.

Speaking at Anniversary Towers, Chebukati noted that despite the murder of Daniel Musyoka, a Returning Officer for Embakasi East Constituency and the death of Geoffrey Gitobu, a Returning Officer for Gichugu Constituency in Kirinyaga County due to what he termed as election-related stress, he noted other atrocities the commission and staff suffered during that period.

First was the assault and injury on him and commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu as well as the CEO, Marjan Hussein, at the National Tallying Centre during the declaration of election results.

The next was the unwarranted arrest of a Voter Education Coordinator at the tallying centre by Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) officers, who was detained for three days.

Another incidence involved the abduction, torturing and holding incommunicado for nine hours of the Manager Election Operations and support staff by persons believed to be security agencies.

"Attempted arrest of three staff members who were lawfully verifying election results on the floor of the National Tallying Centre. Abduction of staff of a service provider working at the National Election Communication Centre.

"Harassment and physical assault of staff of service providers manning heavy-duty printing and photocopying machines at the National Election Communication Centre," Chebukati said in part.

He also noted an incidence of physical assault of Election Officials in parts of Narok, Kakamega, Kirinyaga, Wajir, Nairobi among others, with one of the incidences seeing Mohammed Ahmed Qanyare, an IEBC Presiding Officer in charge of Towheed polling station in Elnur Tula Tula Ward in Eldas constituency, shot in the leg, resulting to its amputation.

Also noted was an incidence of physical assault of Returning Officers bringing results to the National Tallying Centre and breaking into the offices of Senior Commission staff at the National Tallying Centre with the intention of accessing sensitive data.

The other involved the ethnic profiling, targeting and cyberbullying of Members of the Commission and its staff.

"To date, no one has been arrested for these crimes committed against Members of the Commission and its staff. As it stands, no human rights and civil society organisation have condemned these heinous acts meted on the Commission and its staff. Working for IEBC should not be a death sentence," he noted. 

The IEBC chair further noted that the Supreme Court vindicated the commission regarding the credibility of the electoral process.

"The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is finally vindicated. We look forward to the full judgment of the Supreme Court as well as feedback from our stakeholders during the post-election evaluation exercise which will inform areas of improvement in the electoral process," he stated. 

On the fallout between him and vice-chair, Juliana Cherera as well as the three breakaway commissioners, Chebukati noted that they were free to do as they wish moving forward and that they're still part of the commission.