Don't let Kenya down, CJ tells new polls team
A new team to manage Kenya's general election next year has been sworn into office by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga.
Chief Justice Willy Mutunga challenged the team to stick to the Constitution as a way of avoiding misdeeds by previous commissions.
“The failure of the 2007 General Election was a manifestation of an oath betrayed. It was a disaster which you must do all within your power and ability to avoid.”
The team takes office amid confusion on when exactly the next elections will be held. However, a case is before the Supreme Court which will help resolve the impasse.
Members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) formally took office at the ceremony in held Nairobi on Monday.
The team comprising nine commissioners, three of whom are women, each vowed to “uphold the constitution of the republic of Kenya and any other laws” amidst a stringent caution from Dr Mutunga that they must guide against pressure by partisan interests.
IEBC replaces the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) which took over from the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) in May 2009. The ECK was disbanded after it bungled Kenya's last presidential election in 2007 in the process sinking the country into a political turmoil.
Challenges
The IEBC will be chaired by Ahmed Isaack Hassan, who also headed the IIEC. Its members include Yusuf Nzibo, also a former commissioner with IIEC, Abdullahi Mohamed Sharawe, Mohammed Ali Alawi, Lilian Mahiri-Zaja, Thomas Letangule, Joyce Wangai, Albert Bwire and Kule Godana.
The new electoral team faces several challenges in their quest to deliver credible elections.
First, they will have to steer clear of possible political interferences. Their first test will be on November 28 when they will be expected to conduct the Kitutu Masaba parliamentary by-election.
While addressing the team after the ceremony, Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo said the commission will have to deal with criticisms, some which will only be ill-intentioned.
“You must be prepared to withstand all manner of criticism that will be thrown your way if only to distract you from your noble mandate.”
The team will be required, in its four months in office, to review constituency boundaries so as to create 80 parliamentary seats as demanded by the Constitution.
Parliament last year rejected boundaries redrawn by Independent Boundaries Review Commission led by former Vihiga MP Andrew Ligale. Some argued that the Ligale team did not consider the size and relative population of the constituencies before suggesting a subdivision.
