How IEBC is acting to prevent “Chebukati must go!” tune in 2022

The IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati has started acting swiftly in order to secure himself another shot of conducting the 2022.

If you remember very well the 2017 election was not that smooth as Chebukati and the entire was critisized for a number of issues which other parties felt they did not look into them. The former IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba even forced Nasa supporters to storm the streets to push for his resignation.

But Chekubati is now determined.

Plagued by systemic failures in election management over the years, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has come up with an action plan that is seen as key to redeeming its ragged image.

The electoral agency says where it is not possible to appoint commissioners two years to elections, their recruitment should be staggered to ensure their terms do not end at the same time.

Image result for current iebc commissioners

“This would ensure continuity and institutional memory,” reads the IEBC report.

In 2017, commissioners were appointed seven months to the General Election and in 2013 they were appointed 15 months prior.

According to the IEBC, the elections of president and MPs – being national elections – could be held on a different day from those of governor and MCAs.

 

“An election of the president shall be held on the same day as a general election of Members of Parliament, being the second Tuesday in August, in every fifth year,” reads Article 136(2) (b) of the Constitution.

Article 180 (1) provides that the election of governor shall be held on the same day as a general election of Members of Parliament.

The IEBC is also pushing for the extension of the deadline for the determination of presidential election petitions “to allow more realistic time for the preparation of cases, results publication and full due process in court, including possibility of recount.”

The electoral commission has also proposed that the suspended Campaign Financing Act 2013 be effected.

The act provides for expenditure limits for political parties and candidates for a General Election.

The IEBC says it wants a Commission Fund established to ensure seamless flow of funds to run electoral activities.

“Disbursement of bulk of electoral funding during the last year in the electoral cycle does not do justice to electoral planning,” IEBC says.

The commission conducted the post-election evaluation exercise as an integral component of an electoral cycle and a best practice.

This post-election evaluation sought to make a critical assessment of the conduct of the 8th August 2017 General Election and the 26th October 2017 Fresh Presidential Election.

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