The electoral agency is facing a fresh storm over internal reorganisations taking place ahead of the commission chairman Wafula Chebukati’s exit from the helm next year.
Mr Chebukati, the chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), who is set to retire alongside commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu, has found himself at the centre of the controversy, over what insiders have termed “unilateral decisions” at the agency.
Interviews with commission staff has painted a picture of a disjointed organisation and divided loyalty.
This comes amid four petitions in the National Assembly seeking the removal of vice chairperson Juliana Cherera, commissioners Justus Nyang’aya, Irene Masit and Wanderi Kamau, on grounds of gross violation of the Constitution and a breach of their oath due to their actions following the August 9 presidential election.
Apart from the four petitions, there are three others filed at the National Assembly for the removal of Mr Chebukati, Prof Guliye and Mr Molu.
The three petitions by Mr Shem Otieno, each focusing on the respective commissioners and accusing them of violation of the Constitution, incompetence and gross misconduct, were filed about a month ago but were never presented to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
As the battle moves to Parliament, Nation has established that there is more trouble at the IEBC offices at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi, with some employees raising concern over reports of “skewed” promotions, unilateral decisions by the chairman and chief executive Hussein Marjan and unwarranted overseas trips amid austerity measures ordered by the government.
“Chebukati and IEBC CEO continue to operate with impunity and unilaterally. We have seen some staff promoted without due process being followed since the decisions have not been brought to the plenary for approval,” a senior IEBC official told Nation .
The official noted that whereas it is the role of the officials to effect some of the changes, the IEBC Human Resource (HR) policy requires that Grade Five jobs and below appointments are taken to the plenary for approval.
Some of the positions under focus include directorate of voter registration and education, directorate of boundaries and research, department of Finance, manager transport and training.
Mr Chebukati and Mr Marjan declined to comment on the allegations despite numerous attempts by Nation to reach them.
Yesterday, IEBC officials who spoke to Nation pointed out that despite austerity measures ordered by the government, the commission had sanctioned numerous overseas trips, even while other trainings could be conducted locally.
“All these things are happening after the presidential directive banning overseas trips and training,” the official revealed.
The official cited trips to United Kingdom by some staff in October, as well as a three-week trip by top officials to South Africa, Malaysia, Dubai, USA and Mozambique.
“Several directors have been going to Dubai for training. There have also been travels to the USA to observe the mid-term elections with some junior staff also taken on board,” the senior official told the Nation .
Several other members of staff, Nation was told, were also sent to Uganda and Tanzania for training in IT and procurement courses. They were then sent to Dubai for another 10 days.
