Chiloba exits IEBC quietly, Akombe chooses to do so with melodrama

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission CEO Ezra Chiloba (left) consults with IEBC vice chair Consolata Nkatha Bucha Maina (centre) and former commissioner Dr Roselyn Akombe Kwamboka at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi on June 27, 2017. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Ezra Chiloba, the CEO of IEBC who, in Nasa’s eyes, is the personification of Lucifer, has opted to take a three-weeks leave.

  • Somebody noted Akombe’s resignation letter will surely form the reference for the next post-October 26th presidential petition.

The resignation of IEBC commissioner Roselyne Akombe packed such a heavy punch that a disoriented Jubilee Government called time off to schedule a national day of prayer today.

Mmm ... prayers indeed. Everything was getting off the wrong way. The Almighty must get greatly amused by the speed we run to him with our self-inflicted calamities.

It’s a big universe out there, and the Lord must have His hands full dealing with it than obsessing what dear old Wafula Chebukati is doing in his office.

Yes, we are in a fine self-made mess. It is not about democracy, which we blather about all day long without a clue of what it is.

It is not about the IEBC either. Nor is it about “free, fair and credible” elections. That is just a platitude. Just as the September 1 Supreme Court ruling was not about the cast votes per se, this thing is much bigger.

CHILOBA LEAVE

Ezra Chiloba, the CEO of IEBC who, in Nasa’s eyes, is the personification of Lucifer, has opted to take a three-weeks leave. He did so without drama or fanfare.

Akombe chose to be more theatrical. From the comfort of New York, she issued a long statement that was part resignation letter, part indictment of IEBC, and part denunciation of the preparations for the October 26 repeat presidential election.

I heard of her departure through the BBC. By then, she had granted interviews to nearly every local TV station. Shorn of the melodrama, she was making a focal point: that there was a clique of four commissioners who were “partisan” and who had been overruling her and Chebukati at every turn.

Nasa honchos were thrilled, seeing vindication to their claims. Somebody noted Akombe’s resignation letter will surely form the reference for the next post-October 26th presidential petition.

What was most fascinating was Chebukati’s response. With an excitement that is uncharacteristic of him, he supported Akombe’s sentiments and said that he could not guarantee a credible repeat election when the opposing commissioners and senior secretariat staff – led by Chiloba – would not let him have his way.

INTRIGUES

Bureaucracies are full of intrigues. We are yet to hear the story from the other side. And, true enough, there is a story there waiting to be told, as two of the commissioners Akombe had castigated – Abdi Guliye and Paul Kurgat – intimated last week.

And, speaking to Citizen TV in Dubai, Guliye got cryptic: “There is a lot that Kenyans do not know [about the inner goings on in the IEBC]”. He promised to spill the beans after Thursday’s election was done with.

Over in Jubilee’s world, nobody was taking Chebukati’s sudden gusto at face value. Suppose he was planning to follow Akombe’s lead and resign as he actually threatened he could?

The Jubilee team say they were being prudent in inserting the clause in the controversial election laws amendment Bill they passed in Parliament which provides the IEBC chairman’s job of officially declaring the winning presidential candidate could be delegated to the commission’s vice-chairman or another commissioner.

CHEBUKATI

Chebukati was playing the game of brinkmanship quite expertly himself. He knows another top-level resignation would break the IEBC’s back.

With the very real likelihood that his exit would be accompanied by that of the third member of the triumvirate – Commissioner Margaret Mwachanya – which Akombe said was being frustrated by the four “pro-Jubilee” commissioners, this would effectively kill the IEBC. It would leave it without the required quorum of five commissioners.

We speak of the constitution with a reverence reserved for a deity. Yet when it suits us, we are quite ready to ignore it. There are people who are pushing the idea that the repeat election should be extended beyond the 60-day limit from annulment, ostensibly because the IEBC is “ill-prepared”.

The Supreme Court cannot do anything about it. It is a constitutional requirement.

I don’t place the responsibility on Chebukati or the IEBC or even the political players for this mess we are in. The culprits know themselves.

 

Warigi is a socio-political commentator [email protected]