Yesterday, in their final public appearance as IEBC heads, Chairman Wafula Chebukati and two other commissioners, Abdi Guliye and Moya Bolu, offered that assessment. They did so at a hotel in Nairobi.
Finally, the three had finished the commission's five-year electoral cycle by releasing the post-election assessment report, the results of which would have an impact on how the 2027 General Election and any other elections or referendums held between then and then would be run.
Their six-year contract ends today, making that assignment the final one they'll have. On January 18, 2017, the three were appointed after their predecessors—led by previous chairman Issack Hassan—were all fired in response to protests from the Opposition over the handling of the 2013 presidential election. Their current six-year term is up today, and it is not renewed.
Not everyone should apply to be an IEBC commissioner, Guliye advised.
Ahead of Parliament's reopening on Thursday to evaluate nominees of the selection panel who would interview individuals hoping to be commissioners, he urged them to make "smart choices" in who they appoint.
He admitted that he and his fellow commissioners had struggled during the election on August 9 (see separate story), but that they had tried their best.
"I apologize to no one," he declared. Ultimately, I can only say, "I tried my best."
They told us we had helped them as much as they could.
Like Guliye, he urged the selection committee to avoid appointing political pawns to the electoral commission.
"If the IEBC plays party politics, the country would quickly fall apart," he said.
Source
https://www.pd.co.ke/inside-politics/chebukati-team-we-did-our-best-despite-hurdles-165878/
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