Resign to save face, Duale to Chebukati

[Deeq A.]

“They should be men enough to tell the country that we did not offer leadership and we must call it a day,” Duale said.

On Monday last week, three IEBC commissioners resigned for what they termed lack of leadership by Chebukati. They are vice chairperson Consolata Nkatha, Paul Kurgat and Margaret Mwachanya. On Friday Chebukati refused to resign.

The Garissa Township MP yesterday said the IEBC as currently constituted lacks credibility, hasn’t earned the trust of Kenyans and cannot form a quorum to carry out its mandate. Duale spoke in Garissa during the graduation ceremony of Madarastul Khadija.

He accused Chebukati of failing miserably in leading the commission.  “It is now clear that he [Chebukati] not only failed to unite his own commissioners and offer leadership, but also failed to work in a seamless way with the Secretariat. Both Chebukati and [suspended] CEO Ezra Chiloba have failed Kenyans,” Duale said.

In coming weeks, Parliament will look into ways of creating a legal framework to reconstitute the IEBC. Currently there is no legal framework for putting in place a selection panel to advertise, shortlist and interview the next set of IEBC commissioners.

Duale said the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has a duty to create this legal framework. He said it would enable the reconstitution and overhaul of the IEBC Secretariat in readiness for the 2019 census.

On Friday, Chebukati urged anybody who has problems with commissioners to follow the law. He said the law is clear on the removal of the commission. The IEBC boss further warned the three commissioners who resigned to stop attacking him, saying their intentions are in “bad taste”.

Chebukati said blaming him and the two other commissioners who are still in office was insincere and misleading. “They have no legal basis and the undue pressure is unwarranted. It must cease forthwith. In the last one year we have been in office, we have been able to deliver on our mandate,” Chebukati said.

Concerning constitutional amendment and restructuring the Executive, Duale said Jubilee will not be involved in any constitutional amendment mainly pushed by the Opposition.

“I categorically say without fear of contradiction that [amendment] agenda is not on the table for the Jubilee Party. We have a manifesto to implement,” the MP said. He said Kenya is not ready to be taken through a referendum or constitutional amendment.

Source: – The Star