Again, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) are in the headlines, and not for the right reasons. They are posting a possible review of the 2017 Elections. However, that they will have any consequence that makes sense. Is most likely not, as the IEBC delivered what the Jubilee Party needed. This being the result that President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto needed to continue in power. They got that and was able to settle it and ensure they still could eat. Even if the rigging was blatant and the obvious mismanagement from the IEBC.
Therefore, there been many Commissioners and leadership role of the IEBC whose left their offices. As they we’re questioning the leadership of CEO Ezra Chiloba or Chairman Wafula Chebukati. Both of them has acted questionably during the Fresh Presidential Elections and also in the first round too. Which was for various reasons even annulled by the Supreme Court and Court Justice David Maraga.
That is why today is surprising:
“Connie Maina and Margaret Mwachanya, who announced their resignation from the electoral commission earlier this year, returned to their offices at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi on Friday” (…) ““They’ve been holed up in their respective offices since they arrived,” said the source. In April, IEBC vice chairperson Connie Maina and commissioners Margaret Mwachanya and Paul Kurgat said they had left the commission because they had no faith in the chairman’s leadership. Earlier this month, the High Court declared the resignation of the IEBC commissioners null and void” (Walter Menya – ‘Two commissioners return to IEBC offices’ 24.08.2018 link: https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Connie-Maina-Margaret-Mwachanya-at-IEBC/1056-4727216-x2d7v7/index.html).
Instead of opening the gates for the Commissioners whose done their duty to rig the elections. That are the ones who had no trouble to misuse the power, to fake results and fix tenders that made sense for Jubilee. That these are coming back are not building trust for the Electoral Commission, but instead making you think, that they are gearing up for another round.
The IEBC is already lacking trust within society as a whole. That is not just Chebukati, neither Chiloba. The IEBC was already questionable before the new leadership, as Ahmed Issack Hassan didn’t deliver anything better. All of the ones who is there is still the same con-men as in the past. Instead of reviving it, they are boasting it with the same-old, same-old.
The IEBC should be destroyed completely, the leadership should all resign and leave this job. Work somewhere else. As the trust in the whole unit is lacking. The Jubilee and the whole Parliament should try to revise the organization and even change the narrative. Because the ones that are there right now, are just conducting affairs like they are preparing to the next rigged affair.
Therefore, letting the same folks run it like they did in 2017. The review isn’t believable, as it isn’t an outside entity looking into the IEBC. But it is themselves investigating themselves. If they will find something, it will not change anything.
I doubt that the ones investigating internally want to bite of the hands that feeds themselves. That doesn’t make sense.
That is why the entering of these commissioners aren’t make change. Neither, prolonged suspension of Chiloba. Since the last lackeys of Jubilee is still lingering. So, they are just preparing for 2022 anyway. Peace.
MinBane 