Leaked memo, Akombe’s resignation to haunt IEBC at the Supreme Court.
Internal wrangles that plagued the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) at the height of preparations for last month’s fresh presidential election are expected to take center stage when the hearing of petitions challenging President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election commence.
Activist Njonjo Mue’s supporting affidavit to a petition he jointly filed with Muslims for Human Rights Chairperson Khelef Khalifa, avers that a leaked memorandum authored by IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati which was addressed to commission CEO Ezra Chiloba, raised critical issues which could have impeded the agency’s ability to organise a proper election.
According to Mue, the September 5 dated memo which came four days after the Supreme Court nullified the August 8 presidential election was, in fact, an acknowledgment of indictment by the apex court which found in a majority decision on September 1 that illegalities and irregularities had been committed in the conduct of the invalidated election.
Mue asserts in his affidavit that the commission was not ready to conduct the fresh presidential election in accordance with the law.
“The resignation of Commissioner Akombe was occasioned by serious issues she raised that apparently indicated the imminent risk that the scheduled fresh presidential election would not satisfy the legal and constitutional standard of conducting an election,” the 78-point affidavit reads in part.
Mue also claims that Chebukati admitted to the Commission’s unpreparedness at a press conference dated October 18 which came on the backdrop of Commissioner Akombe’s resignation on October 17.
