IEBC commissioners officially resign

Commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) have officially tendered their notice of resignation to President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The commissioners tendered the notice on Tuesday, October 4 evening, a day the Election (Amendment) Act became effective, a month after its signing into law by President Kenyatta.

Despite this, the commissioners will stay in office until a new poll body is put in place to avoid a possible constitutional crisis.

This decision was reached following a meeting between the commissioners and the government through the technical negotiating committee on Friday, September 30.
Speaking after the meeting, State House Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, Joseph Kinyua, said that the decision was reached after much consideration of both parties in the negotiation, public interests and legal and constitutional demands.

The decision, Kinyua said, was also guided but the contract of appointment for the commissioners and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

EBC chair, Ahmed Issack Hassan, said that their extended stay in office would not in any way jeopardise preparations for a free and fair 2017 election, adding that as commissioners are determined to ensure a smooth transition. “We reiterate our position that the current commissioners are not a stumbling block in the preparation of the next General Election. The speedy outcome of these negotiations is an attestation to this commitment,” stated Hassan in the statement.

Last week, ODM leader, Raila Odinga, gave the commissioners one week to vacate office failure to which they would resume their anti-IEBC protests.

Speaking in Narok, Raila said that the move by the commissioners to extend their stay in office is part of a large scheme to rig the elections in favour of President Kenyatta.

Similar concerns were raised by Kakamega Senator, Bonny Khalwale, who said the deal is null and void, insisting that the commissioners should vacate office as soon as possible.

“The new committee that was tasked with negotiation IEBC commissioners exit package has given themselves unconstitutional mandate to extend the commissioners’ stay in office until November 25, 2016.”

“This is a plot by Jubilee to use the commissioners to rig the 2017 elections, something that we will not allow.”

His pronouncement have however not augured well with members of the Jubilee Party, with Deputy President, William Ruto, saying the utterances are only aimed at creating tension in the country.

Ruto, in his speech in Machakos on Sunday, called on Raila to desist from making inflammatory statements saying he should instead focus on uniting the country.