Cabinet Secretary for Defence Aden Duale has defended former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chair Wafula Chebukati after failing to appear before National Dialogue Committee.
Chebukati, alongside former Commissioner Prof Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu, was expected before the National Dialogue Committee today.
“Mr Chebakuti has done his constitutional duty on the 2022 Elections and it’s only IEBC to present to the country and Parliament the 2022 Post-election Evaluation report as per the law. Period,” CS Duale wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Chebukati and allies write back
According to a letter shared by Chebukati, the 10-member committee invited the three commissioners to submit their report on certain events during the August 2022 general elections.
The ex-IEBC Chair however declined the invite, stating that all the issues raised by disputing parties were settled in court.
“The conduct of the 2022 elections has been the subject of litigation by courts across the country, and a final determination made by the Supreme Court.
“It is neither our wish nor desire to participate in a process whose outcome would be the sully of the Constitution and some of its organs,” read part of the letter.
The August 2022 Elections
Chebukati further argued that they conducted the August 2022 elections within their mandate, and evidence of that is in the leaders occupying various seats including those in the National Dialogue Committee.
The three commissioners therefore proposed the establishment of an inquiry into the questionable events on August 15, 2022, when William Ruto was declared the winner of the presidential elections.
“The inquiry should also uncover the reasons why some commission’s staff was abducted, tortured or even killed during the election period; identify persons responsible for those atrocities, and thereafter punishment should be meted out,” read part of the letter.
Meanwhile, the ‘Cherera 4’ appeared virtually before the 10-member committee and made their submissions.
They include; former vice chair Juliana Cherera, Francis Wanderi, Justus Nyangaya, and Irene Masit.
