IEBC commissioners walk out of House team meeting
IEBC chairman Ahmed Issack Hassan and chief executive officer James Oswago. A meeting between the electoral commission and a parliamentary committee was disrupted after chairman Issack Hassan declined to take oath before presenting final election results July 18, 2013. FILE
A meeting between the electoral commission and a parliamentary committee was disrupted after chairman Issack Hassan declined to take oath before presenting the final election results.
Mr Hassan led the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners in a walkout in protest saying other commissions appearing before House committees are not required to take oath.
He also protested that the issue was raised by Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa, who is not a member of the Legal Affairs Committee.
Committee members had insisted that Mr Hassan should take oath before presenting the final computed election results.
The commissioners left the session to "consult" over the matter.
After some time, the IEBC commissioners went back to the meeting with Mr Hassan saying some members were observing the Holy Month of Ramadhan and serving a "higher calling".
The session continued in camera.
Mr Hassan and chief executive James Oswago appeared before the committee but were turned away after the chairman indicated that the tally was not ready for submission as per the request from Parliament.
“I want to apologise that I don’t have with me the commission’s response to the request for statement by the MP…It is being prepared to be sent to the Clerk and will be ready on Thursday,” he said.
It, however, emerged that the chairman had prepared the tally ready for submission at Tuesday’s meeting but commissioners refused to sign the document.
Parliament cannot accept an unsigned document for validity and ownership purposes.
Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati claimed the commission was not being honest with the parliamentary committee.
“The chairman must tell us the truth because we have information from his office that indeed he has prepared the information requested but his team has refused to sign. He should be very clear on this,” said the MP.
