Removal: Dates & Times For Cherera, IEBC 3 To Appear Before MPs

The National Assembly's Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) has announced its preparedness to hear petitions seeking to kick out the four breakaway Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners led by vice-chair, Juliana Cherera.

The petitions want Cherera, Justus Nyang’aya, Francis Wanderi and Irene Masit ousted for an attempt to disrupt the August 9 presidential elections. The quartet are expected to be grilled on Monday, November 28 and Tuesday, November 29.

"It is notified for the information of the general public that the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs shall commence hearings on the four (4) Petitions for the removal of Commissioners of the IEBC as from Thursday, 24th November 2022 at the Mini Chamber, 1st Floor, County Hall, Parliament Buildings, Nairobi," read a notice from Clerk of the National Assembly, Samuel Njoroge published in local dailies on Monday, November 21.

The commissioners will be grilled by the committee as follows; two commissioners to be questioned per day.

The four petitioners who will appear before the George Murugara-led committee are the Republican Liberty Party, Reverend Dennis Ndwiga Nthumbi, Geoffrey Langat and Owour Steve Gerry. They presented the petitions to the speaker of the national assembly Moses Wetangula.

The legislators will grill the Republican Liberty Party from 10.00 am to 11.00 am on Thursday, November 24 with the petitioner to be cross-examined between 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

The Parliament will then hear a petition by Dennis Ndwiga Nthumbi between 2 pm to 3 pm. He will be cross-examined between 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

On Friday, November 25, Geoffrey Langat will present his petition to Parliament from 10.00 am to 11.00 am followed by a cross-examination session from 11.30 am to 12.30 pm.

Owuor Steve will present his petition between 2 pm to 3 pm. He will be cross-examined between 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

IEBC vice chair Juliana Cherera will be the first of the four commissioners to present her case before the committee on Monday between 10 am to 11 am. A cross-examination will happen between 11:30 to 12:30 pm.

Irene Masit will appear before the committee between 2 pm to 3 pm where he will file his response. She will be cross-examined between 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

Francis Wanderi will follow in filing his response before the committee between 10 am to 11 am. He will be cross-examined between 11:30 to 12:30 pm.

Justus Nyang'aya will be the last to appear before the committee on the same day. He will present his case between 2 pm to 3 pm. Cross-examination will be 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

Wetangula tabled four petitions before Parliament on November 15 and directed JLAC to evaluate the evidence and advise the House accordingly.

The four were accused of gross violation of the Constitution and a breach of their oath of office, which makes their status, according to them, illegal to hold office. They were prominent for denying the presidential election results on Monday, August 15 as announced by IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati.

Three petitions were filed at the National Assembly for the removal of Chebukati, commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu over violation of the Constitution, incompetence and gross misconduct, despite Chebukati set to leave his post in early 2023 at the end of his tenure.