Uhuru appoints Wafula Chebukati and new IEBC team

President Kenyatta has appointed a new team to take charge of the electoral commission ahead of the August General Election.

Mr Kenyatta on Wednesday appointed Wafula Chebukati as the new chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

Also appointed were six new commissioners β€” Consolata Nkatha Bucha Maina, Boya Molu, Roselyn K. Akombe, Paul Kurgat, Margaret Wanjala Mwachanya and Abdi Guliye.

The nomination of the seven was approved by the National Assembly on Tuesday.

β€œThe reconstitution was a bi-partisan process that breathes new life into the electoral body while at the same time restoring confidence in its capacity and competence to deliver on its Constitutional and Statutory mandates,” State House said in a statement.

Mr Kenyatta, the statement said, expressed confidence in the new team and called on Kenyans to support it.

Mr Chebukati and the six commissioners are expected to take over from the Issack Hassan team that was hounded out of office by opposition politicians, who had no confidence in the commission's management of polls.

The new team is inheriting a full in-tray, with the main task being preparing for the August General Election.


More follows.