Expose on IEBC fallout during the August election; Chebukati
Chebukati exposes the IEBC fallout in the lead-up to the announcement of the presidential results
Chebukati exposes the IEBC fallout in the lead-up to the announcement of the presidential results.
On January 24, the former chair of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Wafula Chebukati, exposed the fallout between two members of the Cherera Four camp, during the compilation of the presidential election results.
In his appearance before the tribunal, which was presided over by Justice Aggrey Muchelule Chebukati noted that commissioners Irene Masit and Francis Wanderi had expressed no desire to cooperate during the entire process.
Masit and Wanderi, who were in charge of security and welfare, sought his immediate intervention in a bid to work separately.
“Commissioner Masit came and informed me that she did not want to work with Wanderi. So I split security and welfare and she was in charge of welfare while Wanderi handled security. (Former) commissioner Wanderi also came to me and stated he could not work with Masit,” Chebukati stated.
Chebukati did not, however, reveal the circumstances that led to the fallout between the two.
Ruto targets to borrow KSh3.6 trillion
KUCCPS responds to calls to lower university entry grade
According to Chebukati, he resorted to separating the duo, whereby Masit was in charge of welfare while Wanderi was in charge of security.
The former IEBC chairperson alleged that Masit and the other three were later in agreement when they sought the final results to be changed.
While referencing the meeting with Members of the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) on August 15, 2022-whose agenda, according to Chebukati, was for the officials seeking Azimio leader Raila Odinga to be announced as president.
Alluding to this, Chebukati pointed out that the four dissenting commissioners agreed with the move and sought for the results to be changed.
“When the results came, the conversation turned to how can we find a way to change the results?” He stated.
Part of Chebukati’s affidavit indicated that Commissioner Masit and Wanderi were of the view that the results should be pushed towards a rerun which in their view would be a win-win situation.
Responding to this, the former chairman claimed that Cherera hinted that the commission should force a run-off by changing the vote difference between President William Ruto and Raila to rejected ballots.
“I understand that it meant that we should find a way to remove these 233,211 votes but I don’t know how that was to be done.
“The suggestion came from Vice-chair Juliana Cherera that we should make those votes become rejected votes and I think that’s where the word manipulation comes from there,” Chebukati noted.
Also read,
Justice Muchelule declines Raila’s request to join IEBC tribunal hearing
How Cherera four used to hold secret meetings at IEBC Offices, Guliye
Follow us
