IEBC Proposes New Reforms Ahead of of 2022 Elections

In a proposal submitted to the Senate Legal Affairs Committee, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati has indicated that plans are underway to restructure the commission.

Chebukati mentioned that the first task on the table was to vet all the officials in the commission to enhance effectiveness and accountability.

“There is an urgent need to publicly vet all the officials manning functions and stake holders will be given an opportunity to participate in the process,” he noted

[caption caption="Commisioner Abdi Guliye"][/caption]

Commissioner Abdi Guliye revealed that 400 officials would be vetted before the end of the year and those who do not meet the criterion would be ejected from the commission.

The commission will also scrap some posts from to curb the overlapping of roles and duties as experienced in the previous structure.

“We have too many bosses in the Anniversary Towers office; some have silo mentality. We are discussing an exit strategy for them,” Prof Guliye indicated.

Silo mentality occurs when several departments or individuals in organization don't want to share information with other individuals in the same organization.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is also scheduled to relocate from their Anniversary Tower’s office to a building owned by the commission outside the CBD.

The relocation is aimed at cutting costs pertaining to rent, hiring venues for commission activities and storage.

The electoral body is also proposing a review of its internal procurement processes to match the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act of 2018.

[caption caption="file photo"][/caption]

“The high costs of elections in Kenya can be attributed to the wastage of public resources though procurement of various goods and services at the commission,” Chebukati stated.

The Chebukati-led commission is also proposing the prohibition of any amendments to the elections laws one year before the general elections.

Chebukati declared that these changes would lead to a credible election free of irregularities.