Opinion: Don’t let Ezra Chiloba be the fall guy for the rigging machine of IEBC!

Some are giddy and happy about the termination of employment of IEBC’s Ezra Chiloba this week. However, people shouldn’t jump of joy, as there have been changes in the leadership of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Just as the newly appointed IEBC leadership of 2011 with Chairman Hassan Isaack and change in 2016. When Wafula Chebukati got appointed in his stead in 2016. Still, inside the IEBC as before was Chiloba just working in the background as before.

That he got terminated over tenders and contracts are foolish at this point. As we all know the questionable behavior of the IEBC during the Presidential Elections in 2017. We can also wonder what Chiloba did with the previous leadership and elections of 2013, as there was speculations then also of rigging too. Therefore, the relevance of position and of what he did during his tenure there.

However, Chiloba shouldn’t be the fall guy. Chiloba didn’t do this acts alone and did answer to someone above. He didn’t go like an empty drone into this and do this only on his own merry. That wouldn’t believe, as someone ordered him around and asked him to fix. This was known by his previous boss and the current one.

That Chebukati and the rest of the Commissioners should be put in doubt too. Because all of them was in-charge and fixed the contracts with OT-Morpho, Cambridge Analytica and the printing companies. This wasn’t just done by one, neither was the assassination of ICT Expert and Manager Chris Msando and the assassination of CS Joseph Nkaissery. All of this happen days before the elections and even in relation to the polls. That is why these memories will still linger on, as the questions of what happen and who ordered it. The Ghost of Jacob Juma will also follow the organization and the ruling regime, as his words has happen as he said and what he expected from the authorities. Therefore, the IEBC are not alone in this and the truth of the matter, is that Chiloba wouldn’t able to all of this on his own.

Chiloba is one of many to blame, it was organized and was done with a purpose, it was all done to secure the tenure of Kenyatta and Ruto. It was done to secure the Jubilee and their established power. It wasn’t done to secure the votes of the people and neither legitimacy of a supposed credible vote. That went down the storm-drain with the rain-water.

So, the ones thinking the termination of Chiloba will fix it all. I doubt it. It didn’t change with the changes of chairmen either. If it was Hassan Isaack or Wafula Chebukati. The Kenyan election experience was as hostile and lack of transparency as usual. For the single purpose of securing the elite and their need of all power.

Chiloba did that, but not alone. He did it as per orders and per request. By both all Commissioners did so. Not only single individual. If it was only his way and his methods was behind this, than the change of Chairmen should have mattered, but it didn’t. That is why there is a need of change within the IEBC and also reforms of the organization. Not just make Chiloba jump on the sword, he is far from innocent, but he didn’t act alone. Peace.

IEBC: Statement on the Termination of the contract of Ezra Chiloba (12.10.2018)

IEBC: Statement by Ezra Chiloba on Termination of Service – 12th October 2018

Opinion: Why isn’t Chiloba in more trouble?

We can start to wonder, what does it take to go from an internal audit of tenders and files within the Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission (IEBC) after the General Election and Fresh Presidential Elections of 2017 to go into a real inquiry and direct investigations into the manners of what really was done during that period?

Because now in 2018, there been internal problems and deflections, as the IEBC has tried to shield themselves and tried to make themselves clean without even during cleaning. They have tried to fix things, without doing anything else, but for appearances sake.

Today’s news:

“POLICE ARREST Chiloba PA Abednego Ominde and acting IEBC Finance director Agatha Wahome after attempt to sneak out 14 procurement files” (NationBreakingNews, 13.09.2018).

The suspension of Ezra Chiloba haven’t changed anything, there are Commissioners who has returned as they was even paid while they had quit their offices. Therefore, the whole IEBC seems shady as it is and Wafula Chebukati doesn’t seem to handle it very well. As the trust of the organization is lack-luster already and today’s activity is just a long string of ill-activity from the government organization.

Chiloba must really be shielded by the high-above, Chiloba have to be connected up-high and gotten suction from either the DP or the President. Because Chiloba are suspended, but still pulling strings within the organization. The Internal Audit which is continuing, are not seemingly addressing the manners of 2017 or anything that glaces trust towards the electorate. There are just more mere saga of drama, without any smoking gun.

Chiloba can act all out and play innocent in these manners, but we know there are more to it. As the rigged elections, lack of transparency and lack of electoral reforms are the reasons for the issues that are there today. That Chiloba continued and Chebukati, as well as the rest of team, expect for Roselyn Akombe who has left the scene. The rest have returned and the reality right now is that IEBC can do whatever and get away with it. As the IEBC gave the results the Jubilee needed and now they just need to make a circus so that it seems to changes of guards, but the reality is they are gearing up to do more of the same later. Without anyone looking into the servers, the connections to Cambridge Analytica or the OT Morpho. Everything are just moving like nothing.

Chiloba is just half-stepping and gets away, the IEBC does the same. There is no promise. Chiloba are just acting out and so does the organization. Chebukati doesn’t feel this or acts stressed. They are just playing the public without any smoke or fire. It is just acting out, but no real change. That should worry Kenyans, but they have more dire needs with more cost of life, more taxes and a broke state with growing debts. Peace.

Opinion: The IEBC need to be destroyed and rebuilt!

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.

IEBC: Press Statement on the Adoption of Internal Audit (24.08.2018)

#WeKnowYourSalary: Its about revealing the misuse of their role as a Public Officials!

If you thought the revelations in Kenya on the Social Media was about showing the sky-rocketing pockets and the super-soaked wealth of the highest ranking officials in the Country. Your wrong, this isn’t to show how they went from being petty civil servants, preachers and whatnots a decade ago. No, this is to show how murky the grounds and how they have swindled the state. To become extravagant and wealthy.

This is how key public officials in both the counties, in the ministries and as parliamentarians are using their positions, their knowledge of trade and also creating tenders to secure wealth for themselves and their close-knit family. This is how someone working as procurement manager and also as MCA suddenly has a palace, dozens of cars and owning plenty of land. Just mere a year ago, he couldn’t even splash out on the pub on a round of beers. Now he can buy the bar and build a garage for his SUVs. That is what this is about.

Because this is about how the likes of Deputy President William Ruto can own a mansion complex, dozens of houses, a car-park, choppers and earning measly millions. This is about how the family of Kenyatta can own more and more businesses, while the state is lacking funds. This is how other Cabinet Secretaries goes from being poor to suddenly become billionaires. They are all suddenly well fortunate and able to build houses made of dreams. They can own cars that only are in magazines, they can own local hotels, farms, industry and even media if they have enough cash. This is people that is supposed to represent the people and serve them.

Not take from them and later charge them, not only take the taxes, but they are also eating of the profits in the private sectors. Nothing is holy. The Cabinet Secretaries, the President and DP knows this, the local government politicians knows this. The people deserve to know how the ones humble fellow human beings becomes richer than God. They become so wealthy, they can take the bank on a trip to Dubai and rent Lexus in Las Vegas. This being brothers who couldn’t even afford to share a chicken as students.

That is why this is important. To show the disgrace this officials are, how they are eating of the public and have no scrutiny. How they are emptying the state reserves and taking the public for granted. That is why they run for office. Not to represent anyone, but to pocket the taxpayers money, use the position in the state and also get corporate deals with the state. All of this to enrich themselves on the office, not to serve the community. That is just something they say to look good. But when the measures and the end of the day is shown, the bills and the tab will be on the state, while the public see very little, but the official will have the cake, the coffee and the bride. While the public will have the bread-crumbs. Peace.

Bitter-Sweet Sugar: Cartels total control and inaction of Jubilee – Contaminated imports for profits!

We can wonder and think, who in their right mind orders contaminated agricultural products, rebrand it and sell it on the open with a clear conscious. That is what should bugle us right now. That the Kenyan Authorities together with the Sugar Cartels are accepting this and profiting on it. If they hadn’t, they wouldn’t have ordered, imported and tried to sell it on the market to the consumers. That is what is up and happen as the minor stops of it. The people should be worried about the authorities and what they are exposed too on the daily basis. When they cannot even trust the white sugar they are consuming.

The Kenyan people should worry, that the illegal imports through Kismaayo of Somalia, the illegal cartels of Mombasa and other places are highly-connected has pocketed key figures of industry, ports and in the ministries. If it wasn’t so, they would have had more trouble with the law. They wouldn’t just take a load of contaminated sugar, they would have ceased more and banned this trade. However, the government are doing little except tough talk. Even Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i is supposed to die over this, but he will not stand-by his side-dish. So I doubt it.

It is like the Jubilee knows about the ill they are getting in, thinking of the profits and of the friendly owners of the millers. Without thinking about the citizens who possible consuming it and how it might hurt them. If it is contaminated, it might damage the body and even cause fatal ills for someone. Then someone dies over something as petty as illegal and deadly sugar. Has that even been considered? Wouldn’t that been an avoidable tragedy?

That the government, the agencies and the authorities in general haven’t delivered is obvious, while this is not only hurting the average citizen. Who could be worried about going to the market and supermarket to pick a kilo of sugar. But also the farmers who produce for the millers. They don’t know if the millers and the authorities is helping to sell second-level or third-level products from afar. While rebranding it with their labels, like the ones that comes from the local producers. Then the public will loose trust with the millers who makes this sugar.

This here is the proof of how not to run, how not to delegate and not to use the oversight role as government, as they are misusing power, being in bed with the cartels and not giving a fig about the population. Because if they know they are illegally importing through Mombasa and Kismaayo, the authorities should stop it and get rid of it. Not let it go, let it be rebranded and made ready for the market. Because then the suppliers, the supermarkets and the consumers all loose on it. Only the Sugar Cartels and the Importers earns on it.

They are spiking, they are playing and coming with a dangerous product that shouldn’t be consumed by people. It should be used for matters, if not just confiscated and destroyed at arrival. Than ask for reparation of damages and possible breaches of contract, as they we’re not given edible sugar. But dangerous ones, that shouldn’t be produced in the first place. Peace.

IEBC – Re: Suspension to Complete the Comprehensive Audit of all Major Procurements Relating to the 2017 General and Fresh Presidential Elections (14.06.2018)

Chebukati using Chiloba as IEBC’s fall guy!

It is clear after CEO Ezra Chiloba yesterday was reinstated and won the court case, he could get his job back. However, Chairman Wafula Chebukati did suspend Chiloba again. This is a ploy to keep himself on top, while damaging Chiloba. It is a very simple game. They are not fixing the issues within the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) instead they are fitting the blame on one by one.

That is ancient political game, which Chebukati is doing as much as he can. Since most of the key advisors and Commissioners fled the scene in 2017. The ones that was in on it is gone. They have done it because they cannot stomach the issues and the rigging. That is clear by the ones fleeing and showing the internal memos from the elections last year.

Therefore, Chebukati should be more careful, but in the Handshake era, he knows he can get away with it. He will not loose and that is evident by his actions. Wafula would act differently if it would cost him or his honour. But at this stage he will get away with it.

There is nothing showing signs of change or progress, neither any signs of retribution or even care from the Jubilee. Who had ordered the showdown and the elections to secure a second term for Kenyatta! That is why they just let it be and go-on like nothing has happen.

The IEBC is playing the public for fools blaming Chiloba. Yes, Chiloba did a lot and has done lots of damage. That has been evident, however, the whole IEBC has orchestrated it and all are to blame. Not just Chiloba, he is the fall guy as we speak. Nevertheless, the other commissioners and the Chairman knows perfectly well, what went down. He is just using Chiloba as a pawn and a useful one as that.

So don’t get caught in the hype, thinking that Chebukati does this out of concern of IEBC. He does this out of concern of his own job and not wanting to lose the title. Even as he himself has done major parts of the rigging and the electioneering in favour of Kenyatta. We all know that, he is just acting as if we don’t.

The naïve might eat the crap, but I beg to differ. Because I won’t be played by shadow games. Especially when I see them from afar. Peace.