Nairobi — Azimio La Umoja One Kenya legislators have protested the move by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to interdict the Deputy CEO Ruth Kulundu on what they claimed was being a whistleblower in the polls.
Led by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi the MPs called for her reinstating within the next 48 hours failure to which they threatened to take unspecified action against the Wafula Chebukati led commission.
"We shall initiate some unspecified actions as of now but actions that will compel all of them to abide by the law," said Wandayi.
Last week, Kulundu was issued with a second show cause letter by IEBC CEO MarjanHussein Marjan.
A previous one had been issued to her on August 29th to respond to her alleged outright misconduct and incorrigible demeanor in the past weeks.
The deputy CEO in charge of Operations was accused of convening a commission plenary meeting on August 26th without the approval or delegation of the IEBC CEO.
Nominated MP Sabina Chege pointed out that the move to interdict Kulundu was a witch-hunt choreographed by Chebukati's wing in the commission for having assisted the four dissenting IEBC commissioners.
"We want the lady's case to be handled with justice and we are not begging for justice. There is no way where three people out of seven commissioners can just decide that they are letting her go. We will not sit and watch women being victimized," Chege stated.
The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya leaders revealed that Kulundu was pivotal in unearthing the rot within the poll agency and for that she was now bearing the cross for unveiling the truth within the commission.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Why are they letting her go, what crime did she commit? If she stood for the truth then she cannot be victimized. Are the whistleblowers going to be suffering, we will ever have people standing for the truth come out," Chege said.
Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe castigated Chebukati and his commission saying their move against Kulundu can only be equated to terrorism.
He insisted that President William Ruto should stay true to his words that no act of vengeance will be taken against state officials and those working in independent institutions.
"What the IEBC commissioners are doing is nothing short of terrorism as they are simply terrorizing staff.This is the right instance for the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to come out and show that they are defending Kenyans,"Wangwe stated.
Among the issues Kulundu is being accused of is conducting plenary meeting that was attended by the four commissioners who had opposed Chebukati's official declaration of the presidential election at Bomas.
The Deputy CEO is accused of threatening and intimidating of voter registration and operations Moses Sunkuli and in effect "arousing in him a sense of fear and insecurity in his life.
Kulundu was appointed as the Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of operation in March 2022 having served as worked as IEBC Regional Elections Coordinator from 2010-2017 and later as Siaya County Elections Manager.
She has 12 years' experience in management of election.
