The Independent Election and Boundaries Commissioners presided over the release of the 2022 Post-Election Evaluation Report on Monday, January 16, 2023, at Safari Park in Nairobi.
This marked their final public appearance before leaving office on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. The report was led by IEBC head Wafula Chebukati as he spoke about his time as the commission’s leader.
Gracing the event was speaker of the senate Amason Kingi, Chief Justice Martha Koome, and Attorney-General Justin Muturi. Council of Governors Chairperson Anne Waiguru as well as the Director of Public Prosecutions, Noordin Haji, were also in attendance.
Speaking at the launch at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, the EU ambassador to Kenya, Henriette Geiger, praised the chairman and commissioners for maintaining their commitment and raising the bar.
Additionally, the ambassador asked the IEBC to build on the successes of the most recent election to give Kenyans an even better vote in 2027.
She also claimed in her speech that Kenyans earned a score of 10 out of 10 for their outstanding performance in the polls.
“I applaud Kenyans for being peaceful. They stood firm on the path to stronger democracy and rule of law, build towards better relations towards the 2027 general elections and the EU will stand firm to support,” she said.
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Commissioner Abdi Guliye noted that during his six-year tenure, he had carried out his duties in accordance with his oath of office and had no need to apologize to his critics.
“I did my best for my country and my people. I leave IEBC stronger and better than I found it. I have no apologies to make to anybody. I simply did my work in accordance with the oath of office that I took in January 2017,” Guliye stated.
The commissioner also cautioned those in charge of choosing new commissioners to make their decisions carefully.
“My word of advice to those who will be bearing the responsibility of replacing us with other Kenyans is that it is not for the faint of heart. Please choose commissioners wisely,” he added.
Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to learn from the general election in August 2022.
Speaking during the unveiling of the IEBC’s post-election evaluation report, Waiguru urged the organization to carefully examine the previous election in order to inform the conduct of the following one.
The chair of the Council of Governors (CoG) said that the observation was valuable since it would aid in the adoption of required strategies.
She stated that among the fundamental concerns and crucial areas that needed to be addressed were legal, policy, and administrative frameworks that would inform and guide the IEBC’s efforts in conducting free and fair elections.
IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati and two other commissioners, Boya Molu and Abdi Guliye, are due to leave office on January 17, 2023, six years after a seven-member panel was sworn in.
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