“I Will Not Step Down” – IEBC Boss Denies Personal Responsibility in Election Mess

In the wake of the ruling by Kenya’s Supreme Court to nullify the results of the August 8 Presidential elections, the IEBC has promised to implement all the court recommendations including making internal changes in its personnel. The IEBC has also expressed the will to have the responsible officers investigated and prosecuted.

On Friday, Kenya’s highest court delivered a ruling in which four (majority) judges ruled that the Presidential election was not conducted in accordance with the law. The ruling follows a petition by opposition coalition NASA whose candidate Raila Odinga lost the election to incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta.

While addressing the press in response to Friday’s ruling, the IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati said that the electoral body would immediately make internal changes in the personnel in a bid to protect its integrity.

The IEBC which was the second respondent in the election petition is faulted for flouting the law in the process of the Presidential election.

“We urge the Supreme Court to issue the full judgment to help us understand the areas found to have problems. Whoever was part of the problem will be held responsible for the errors,” Chebukati told journalists.

“The IEBC invites the Director of Public Prosecution to expedite investigations and prosecute any of our staff involved in any fraud,” he further stated.

Asked whether he wasn’t personally responsible for the said irregularities, Chebukati denied saying; “I didn’t hear anything about the Chairperson in regard to the failures.”

He urged Kenyans to remain calm and restrain from any political rhetoric that could plunge the country into instability.