IEBC Commissioners told to safeguard its Independence fully

 

Lawyer Ken Amondi at his office in Kisumu where he has asked IEBC Commissioners to fully safeguard its Independence in order to help in regaining public confidence-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo

By Dickson Odhiambo

September 2, 2021

IEBC Commissioners told to safeguard its Independence fully 

Both the Current and the just appointed new Commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission have been urged to fully safeguard the Independence of the commission before, during and after the Election.

Lawyer Ken Amondi says by safeguarding the Independence of the Commission, public confidence on the electoral body will be restored fully.

Addressing the press at his office in Kisumu today where he gave his remarks on the appointment of four new Commissioners of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission by President Kenyatta after Parliament yesterday approved the nominees, Amondi said the Commission as it was originally constituted suffered legitimacy test in the view of the nullification of the year 2017 Presidential Election result when the Supreme Court  pointed out that the election was not conducted in accordance to the law.

He says IEBC now has a duty to initiate the process of reclaiming the issue of public confidence about it as the country approaches another General Election 11 months from now.

“IEBC must also resolved some fundamental issues that arise out of decisions and outcomes from the High Court and sanctified by the Court of Appeal as far as the issue of quorum at the Commission is concerned that was as a result of the resignation of about four commissioners sometime back,” he says.

Lawyer Amondi says there is need for the Commission to re-look into the issue of procuring the KIEMS kits which are critical in the transmission of the election results especially on the Presidential Election right from the constituency tallying centers to the National tallying.

He says this is very important because the Commission has already initiated some vital processes which are critical like the Election roadmap to next year’s General Elections.

“I want to believe and trust that the new Commissioners together with their colleagues who have been there for a while must take this as their task and relook into the process of procuring KIEMS kits and its implication thus find a way how it can be regularized,” he adds.

Amondi adds that this should be taken seriously since some people may move to court to file a suit against IEBC on the issue of procuring such kits, adding that procurement of such items falls under policy decisions.

“Now that IEBC will have a quorum after the four new Commissioners are sworn-in, the commission should sit down and re-look into the issue of KIEMS Kits in terms of fast tracking its procurement process ahead of the next year’s polls,” Amondi adds.

Lawyer Amondi’s sentiments comes barely a few hours after Parliament yesterday approved the names of the four people nominated as the Commissioners at the IEBC and appointed today by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Those who have been appointed include Juliana Cherera, Francis Mathenge, Irene Masit and Justus Abonyo who are expected to serve for six years.

The Four New Commissioners will replace IEBC former Vice Chairperson Consolata Maina, Margaret Mwachanya, Paul Kurgat and Roselyne Akombe who all resigned from the Commission after the 2017 Polls.

ENDS: