Kenya Electoral Boss Breaks Silence On Why Four Officials Rejected Presidential Poll Result

Chairman of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission (IEBC), has given reasons for the dispute that led to rebellion by the four officials who rejected the presidential election result announced on Monday.

In a statement released on Tuesday by the office of the IEBC chairman, the four officials who rejected the result, wanted the chairman to declare the election inconclusive and conduct a rerun between the top two contenders- president-elect, William Ruto and Mr. Raila Odinga.

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According to Mr. Chebukati, it is unconstitutional and against the oath taken by the four officials.

“During a briefing meeting held on 15th August 2022 at around 3.00 pm before the final declaration of the Presidential Election results, the four Commissioners demanded that the Chairperson moderates the results for purpose of forcing an election re-run contrary to their oath of office,” Chebukati said.

“This is tantamount to subverting the Constitution and the sovereign will of the people of Kenya. The chairperson refused to yield to this unconstitutional and illegal demand and proceeded to declare the results of the presidential election as received from the polling stations, and contained in Form 34A, in accordance with the law.”

The four officials of IEBC which include Vice-chairperson Juliana Cherera, Francis Wanderi, Justus Nyang’aya, and Irene Masit had earlier distanced themselves from the presidential election results, citing irregularities in the result tally and opaque nature of how the result was arrived at by the Chairman, Mr. Chebukati.

Also the four rebelling officials claimed that they were not carried along during the processes that led to the declaration of the result and they were not allowed to play their role.

Responding to that, the electoral commission chairman said, “This constitutional mandate falls squarely on the chairman of the commission, who is the National Returning Officer as gazetted in Notice No. 4956 of 28th April 2022. The role of national returning officer for presidential election is not a shared responsibility and not subject to plenary decisions of the commission. All returning officers including the national returning officer for presidential election took an individual oath of secrecy before embarking on their duties,” Mr. Chebukati said.

“In addition, the chairperson and commissioners took oath of office at the time of appointment. It is an oath of office that the chairperson faithfully executed, when he declared the results for the presidential election on Monday, 15th August 2022.”