Nairobi deputy governor position is vacant, IEBC clarifies

The elections body has cleared the air over the status of the Nairobi County deputy governor’s position.

Media reports had earlier indicated that the former holder of the position, Mr Polycarp Igathe, could still be the deputy governor after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said it was unaware of his resignation.

According to IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati, the position is vacant.

“On January 22, 2020, the Commission received a letter from Governor Sonko nominating a deputy governor, thus indicating there was a vacancy, in compliance with Article 180(5) of the Constitution,” Mr Chebukati said yesterday.

The IEBC boss pointed out that the commission has no legal obligation to gazette the resignation of an outgoing holder of an elective office but has one to gazette a new holder.

“Therefore, the insinuations in the media to the effect that IEBC stated that Mr Igathe is still a deputy governor and that there are two deputy governors is not only mischievous and malicious but is meant to discredit the commission,” he said.

Mr Chebukati said that on December 18 last year, IEBC received a request from the Nairobi County Assembly for an advisory opinion on, among others, the existence of a vacancy in the office of the deputy governor.

In its response dated January 9, 2020, the commission stated it had not received formal communication on the resignation of the deputy governor. Speculation that Mr Igathe was still the deputy governor arose from this response.

Mr Igathe resigned from the position on January 12, 2018, after what he described as his failure to earn Governor Sonko’s trust to enable him to work.