Nairobi — President William Ruto on Tuesday revealed an apparent plot to kidnap and murder IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati to overthrow the popular will of Kenyan voters.
Ruto who hosted members of independent commissions including the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said unnamed individuals wanted Chebukati out of the way so that the Cherera faction could take over.
He said the faction had instructions to support his arch rival, Raila Odinga.
President Ruto said the plan to subvert the will of the people was hatched by senior politicians way before the August 9, 2022 presidential election and it started with what he described as skewed hiring of four commissioners who attempted to stonewall Chebukati's declaration.
Cherera faction
The plot, according to the Head of Stated, involved infiltrating the commission by planting the four breakaway commissioners, use of blackmail, threats, abductions, extortion and intimidation of various IEBC officials, so as to have a preferred candidate declared the winner.
Ruto said the plotters had calculated to eliminate Chebukati if he resists bribery and intimidation in what could have incapacitated the commission and potentially rendered the outcome of the election a nullity.
Other than vesting powers to declare the outcome of a presidential election in the Chairperson of IEBC, the law requires that election results are declared within seven days of voting.
"We know that there was a direct attempt to abduct Wafula Chebukati and murder him so that the commission would be paralysed, or a compliant commission to take over and subvert the people's sovereignty," President Ruto stated.
President Ruto commended the conduct of IEBC during the 2022 General Election, specifically Chebukati, CEO Hussein Marjan and commissioners Moya Bolu and Abdi Guliye.
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The Head of State lauded them for remaining firm and resisting blackmail and threats to deliver credible elections.
He said the minority of the commissioners and the staff of the commission, made personal sacrifices and underwent extremely harrowing conditions including threats of dire consequences to them and their families.
Fidelity to the law
Regrettably, the President noted that some IEBC officers were murdered in the course of duty by some actors who wanted to compromise the elections.
"We now know that Chairman Wafula Chebukati, commissioners Abdi Yakub Guliye and Boya Molu as well as the CEO, Hussein Marjan, and their staff, were offered stupendous financial rewards to cooperate with the agents of impunity, but they bravely resisted," he said.
The Head of State hailed the outgoing chair for being brave and remaining steadfast to safeguard the constitution even under very difficult circumstances which threatened his life.
He said it is through Chebukati's fidelity to the constitution and constitutional responsibility that he has been able to lead the commission effectively through three General Elections.
"Through Wafula Chebukati, we have seen what integrity looks like at work. We have witnessed him lead an organisation in learning from its mistakes and do better each succeeding time. We have seen him refine the art and science of delivering elections," he stated.
President Ruto called upon other constitutional commissions and independent institutions to emulate Chebukati who term lapsed on Tuesday while executing their constitutional duties.
