Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati has died while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi Hospital.
His demise comes hardly a week after he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the hospital after undergoing treatment for several days at his home.
The reports of his death were confirmed by Chebukati's family member who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke on Friday morning.
While reports of his illness went viral on social media platforms, the cause of his death is yet to be established with sources privy to the information remaining private on the matter.
Before his demise, Chebukati served as the IEBC chairperson for six years until 2023, when he retired. During his tenure, he presided over the 2017 and 2022 elections.
Born on December 22, 1961, Chebukati attended Lenana High School in Nairobi County before joining the University of Nairobi (UoN) to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Law.
In addition to his Bachelor's degree in Law, Chebukati also obtained a Master's degree in Business Administration from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
As a member of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Chebukati came into the limelight in 2007 when he vied for the Saboti Member of Parliament seat.
However, despite contesting on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket, the former IEBC chairperson lost the election to Eugene Wamalwa, who ran on a Party of National Unity (PNU) ticket.
Following his loss, Chebukati resigned from ODM and later applied for the position of IEBC chairperson, to which he was nominated by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In 1990, Chebukati married his wife, Mary Chebukati, and they were blessed with three children: two sons, Jonathan and Emmanuel, and a daughter, Rachael.
As of 2022, Chebukati's net worth was estimated at Ksh120 million, while his gross salary as IEBC chairperson was approximately Ksh900,000.
