Former electoral agency commissioners Connie Maina, Margaret Mwachanya and Paul Kurgat have stated that IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati stopped treasury from paying them before they had formally resigned.
“I am not receiving any salary. The chairman of the commission acted in haste and wrote to the Treasury asking for stoppage of my salary and benefits without receiving formal communication," the three stated separately in letters.
"His reliance on media reports mirrors impropriety of his actions. It was then impossible to continue staying in office pending receipt of acceptance,” the letters added.
Their statements were in replying affidavits to a case filed by activist Okiya Omatatah, who asked the court to compel the former commissioners to correctly quit and pave way for their replacement.
[caption caption="Former IEBC Commissioners (from left) Paul Kurgat, Margaret Mwachana and Consolata Maina"]
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The three former commissioners insisted they formally resigned from the IEBC contrary to allegations by Chebukati, who accused them of absconding duty.
Maina, Mwachanya and Dr Kugat told the High Court they wrote formally to President Uhuru Kenyatta to tender their resignation in accordance with the law.
In his suit, Omatatah argued that the former commissioners were still on the IEBC’s payroll, while they had refused to hand over assets of the commission.
Additionally, the former commissioners further denied enjoining security services.
On his part, Chebukati told the court the commission had written to the three asking them to return all public assets belonging to the commission, pay one month salary in lieu of notice and settle liabilities.
[caption caption="President Kenyatta "]
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President Uhuru is yet to declare vacancies in the electoral commission almost a month after the three members quit and State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu maintained he could not comment on the issue since Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua, who handles the matter, was on leave.
