Give IEBC chance to deliver on its pledges

The Speaker of the National Assembly recently demonstrated the magnanimity of constructive criticism.

While officiating at the launch of the strategic plan of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Mr Justin Muturi, who recently called for downsizing of the commission, said: “No matter the views that we may hold… I know we have a body that we need to support. To support the IEBC does not mean we cannot criticise it, but let us be positive and constructive in the way we criticise our institutions.”

ODM leader Raila Odinga, a strong critic of the IEBC, also said: “We have issues with the IEBC but it’s still the commission in place and nothing stops us from engaging with them because we are stakeholders.”

Not many, especially in the political class, can see anything positive in those they do not agree with. Some of the demands that politicians and interest groups have made are beyond the mandate of the commission. It is ridiculous to ask the IEBC to resolve issues over ID cards, election date, corruption, and security.

The electoral body will conduct elections on the date set by the law. It is not within the powers of the commission to address the investigation and prosecution of corruption allegations levelled against some of its former officials.

The electoral body is in the highly sensitive business of elections and must endure close scrutiny and criticism. Bashing IEBC has become common practice. The media coverage on the launch of the strategic plan focused on the boycott by certain parties, not a critical analysis of what the stakeholders wanted vis-à-vis what the IEBC offered.

The commission postponed the launch by 10 days to allow stakeholders to air their views. The IEBC says it targets to register 22.4 million voters by 2017. How many do the stakeholders think should be registered? IEBC promises not to keep the voter for more than seven minutes at a polling station. How long do those with a contrary opinion suggest?

IEBC promises to raise polling stations from 33,000 to 44,000 by 2017. How many should we have and why? What alternative suggestions do the stakeholders who do not agree on the approaches proposed on voter education, diaspora voting, procurement, and legal reforms have? The stakeholders need to go beyond the perennial complaint of lack of involvement.

It is the commission’s duty to develop and implement the strategy. Political parties are stakeholders, not shareholders. In engaging the commission, they should not appear to be compromising its independence.

The IEBC is striving to get things right. There are no outstanding issues about its recent performance in conducting by-elections and financial management. More than half of its top management has changed. There is a new CEO and deputy. Other key areas such as voter education, finance, and IT are now in the hands of new professionals.

The last thing the struggling IEBC needs is incessant scepticism. The strategic plan the commission has put forward is an election promise for which it needs support to deliver.

It should also be made accountable for the targets and timeliness it has set.

Eliot N. Kibet is a student of political science and a former employee of the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya. [email protected].