List of applicants for IEBC trimmed
The number of people seeking jobs in the new electoral body was further reduced on Tuesday when one withdrew.
Mr Chris Kisire Chepkoit wrote to the panel interviewing applicants for posts in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission telling them of his decision.
Panel chairman Ekuru Aukot said Mr Kisire, who was expected to be quizzed on Tuesday, had taken up a job elsewhere.
“He wrote to us about the new development,” Dr Aukot said. The panel received 427 applications and short-listed 44 for the IEBC’s eight slots.
By the end of Tuesday, 28 had been interviewed, one disqualified and one, Mr Kisire, withdrawn. (READ: Interviews for polls team jobs start)
Those interviewed included Mr Darius Mbogoh, an employee of the National Hospital Insurance Fund, Mrs Lillian Bokeeye Mahiri from the Justice ministry, former Maendeleo Ya Wanawake executive director Rose Arungu-Olende and Mrs Joan Mudindi Vwamu.
Mrs Mahiri, a deputy chief legal officer, was asked by Dr Aukot why she wanted to join the commission on secondment.
She said having worked for the government for several years, she did not want to lose her benefits. “I am permanent and pensionable... if I were to resign, I will lose all that,” she said.
“According to the IEBC Act, the commission is allowed to have an officer on secondment on request,” she said.
“I know of a commissioner who worked for the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya who got his job back after it was disbanded,” she said.
Dr Aukot referred her to Section 88 of the IEBC Act, which says a person is ineligible to join if he or she is a State officer.
Mrs Mahiri said she was not a state but public officer. “State officers are like the President, Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers. I am a public officer,” she said.
Prof Marion Mutungi questioned Ms Arungu-Olende about her role at Maendeleo ya Wanawake, which she said had been “swallowed by a party”. This was in reference to the then ruling Kanu.
“When I took up the job, I was told the two had divorced, but were still on talking terms,” she replied.
