Chebukati, Molu, Guliye decline to appear before bipartisan committee

By Peter Ochieng

Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wanyonyi Wafula Chebukati will not appear before the bipartisan committee, otherwise known as the National Dialogue Committee.

Chebukati alongside his former vice Juliana Cherera, and former commissioners Abdi Guliye, Boya Molu, Francis Wanderi, Irene Masit and Justus Nyang’aya were to make submissions before the committee today.

The Kalonzo Musyoka and Kimani Ichung’wah led committee is leading bi-partisan talks between the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance, and the opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya.

Chebukati, Professor Guliye and Molu in a signed letter date 27th September, 2023 said they will not appear before the committee as scheduled.

They said they are not in a position to discuss the 2022 presidential contest, insisting that it is a closed matter.

“We were appointed into office on January 18th, 2017, for a six (6) year term and successfully completed our tour of duty on January 17th, 2023. We have gone through the five thematic areas and would like to inform you that we do not wish to make any submissions before the committee. Our decision is informed by our perspective that the issues being addressed by the Committee are either within the mandate of other agencies or have been resolved by the legally mandated agencies,” they said.

“For instance, the conduct of the 2022 elections has been the subject of litigation by courts across the country; and with respect to the presidential poll, a final determination was made by the Supreme Court. It is neither our wish nor our desire to participate in a process whose outcome would be to sully the Constitution and some of its organs,” they added.

“During our term in office, we delivered on our mandate, including successful conduct of 2022 General Elections. It is through those elections that the President, Governors, Senators, Members of the National Assembly and those of County Assemblies now occupy their offices. Some of them are now members of this committee.”

Chebukati, Molu and Guliye said they hope a commission of inquiry will be formed, to uncover among others, the torture and killing of IEBC staff during the electioneering period.

“The inquiry should also uncover the reasons why some of the commission's staff were abducted, tortured or even killed during the election period; identify persons responsible for those atrocities, and thereafter appropriate punishment should be meted out. The outcome of such an inquiry will bolster the independence of the Commission (IEBC) and ensure that it maintains the stature contemplated in the Constitution of Kenya. With tremendous respect to the committee, our participation in the talks would be an unmitigated betrayal to the staff that were tortured and murdered and an unfortunate reward for impunity.”