Nairobi — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chairperson Wafula Chebukati now says the Supreme Court Judgment upholding the win of President-Elect William Ruto is a testimony that the Electoral agency conducted free, fair, transparent and credible polls.
Speaking on Monday after the Supreme Court verdict, Chebukati said the decision by the court was a clear demonstration that the IEBC met the democratic aspirations of all Kenyans.
The IEBC Chairperson reiterated that an election is a process, not an event.
"This process started immediately after the 2017 General Election, and the Commission tested its systems and processes in over 40 by-elections in the last five years. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is finally vindicated," he said.
He went forward to say that the Commission is awaiting the Apex Court's full judgment and feedback from stakeholders during the post-election evaluation exercise, which he said will inform areas of improvement in the electoral process.
While lauding Kenyans for peacefully exercising their democratic right to vote on August 9, in accordance with Article 38 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, Chebukati maintained that the Electoral Agency went above and beyond to ensure credible polls.
"In fulfilment of the Constitution, the Commission put in place a robust and transparent election infrastructure to ensure that votes cast were counted, electronically transmitted, verified, tallied, announced and declared in line with Articles 81 and 86 of the Constitution," he said.
Chebukati said that this year's election was conducted by about 1000 dedicated permanent employees of the Commission who were supported by over 400, 000 temporary staff countrywide.
He thanked the IEBC staff for what he described a job well done.
Chebukati lauded all the stakeholders, including Judiciary, National Police Service and service providers who participated in the electoral process.
"The Commission gives special recognition to development partners who provided support that bridged financial gaps in the election budget," he said.
However, the IEBC Chairperson decried what he described the harassment, intimidation, abduction, arbitrary arrests of the IEBC staff in the course of discharging their constitutional duty.
Chebukati said the abuse of IEBC staff reached an unimaginable scale during this year's polls.
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He singled out the Embakasi East Returning Officer who lost his life during the August 9 polls.
"It is tragic that Mr. Daniel Musyoka, a Returning Officer for Embakasi East Constituency, was abducted and tortured to death in the line of duty. In addition, Mr. Geoffrey Gitobu, a Returning Officer for Gichugu Constituency died in what could be election related stress upon completion of elections in his Constituency," he added.
Chebukati also referenced the assault and injury of the IEBC commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu, and the Commission Secretary/CEO Marjan Hussein and himself at the National Tallying Centre during the declaration of election results.
He also spoke on the unwarranted arrest of a Voter Education Coordinator by Anti-Terrorism Police Unit at the National Tallying Centre, whom he said was detained for three days.
"To date, no one has been arrested for these crimes committed against Members of the Commission and its staff. As it stands, no human rights and civil society organization have condemned these heinous acts meted on the Commission and its staff," he said.
Chebukati went further to say, "working for IEBC should not be a death sentence."
