CHEBUKATI EXPOSES THE 4 COMMISSIONERS BADLY

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati has for the first time spoken about the decision by the four IEBC commissioners to reject the presidential results.

The four IEBC officer who rejected the results are Juliana Cherera, Francis Wanderi, Justus Nyang’aya and Irene Masit.

In a statement, Chebukati said after briefing the four on the results he was to announce, they asked him to moderate the results so that the country can have a repeat presidential election.

“D uring a briefing meeting held on 15 th 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.

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,” he said.

He said the Chairperson and Commissioners took an oath of office at the time of appointment.

“As the gazetted National Returning Officer and in the spirit of teamwork, the Chairperson involved all Commissioners including Juliana Cherera, Francis Wanderi, Justus Nyang’aya and Irene Masit in all activities of verification and tallying,” he said.

“Their duties were well defined in writing and allocated at the National Tally Center (NTC). They had access to all results beforehand and interchangeably announced them for six (6) days in the full glare of live television.”

Chebukati 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 28 th April 2022.

The four IEBC commissioners disputed the presidential elections.

They said they cannot take ownership of the results because of the opaque nature they have been handled.

“We have done the 2022 general election in the most efficient manner. We have ensured that all the challenges have been contained,” commissioner Juliana Cherera said during a hastily arranged press briefing at Serena Hotel.

By The Star