IEBC Denies Sacking Some of Its Officials

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has rubbished reports that it has sent some of its officials including Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba and other senior staff at the secretariat to a compulsory leave, terming the reports fake.

IEBC said that such decisions had not been taken, despite Chairman Wafula Chebukati earlier insisting that they will make changes inside the commission before a repeat poll is conducted.

“We are faced with another spell of fake news. Kindly ignore story on purported staff changes at the Commission. We tell it when there is,” the commission said on Twitter.

Hours after Supreme Court nullified August 8th election, Chebukati said that changes would be made at the secretariat before the new poll and invited the Director of Public Prosecutions to investigate officers who might have been involved in mismanagement of last month's elections.

“It is worth noting that the new commissioners only took office seven months ago without any changes made to the secretariat. To protect the integrity of the sovereign will of the Kenyan people, the commission intends to make internal changes to our personnel and processes as we prepare for the fresh presidential election in sixty days,” Chebukati said.

In a press statement on Monday when he announced the date of the fresh poll, Chebukati still read from the same script, that changes must be effected.

“The commission is revising the operational and procedural requirements for the conduct of the fresh elections,” said Chebukati.

He said the changes will be expedited once the commission gets the full ruling of the apex court.

Nasa, led by Raila Odinga has already called for the dismissal of IEBC Chief Executive Ezra Chiloba, Immaculate Kasait (director of voter registration and electoral operation), head of legal department Praxedes Tororey, Ms Betty Nyabuto of operations and Mr Andrew Muhati, the director of ICT.