Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati is on the spot once again after making critical decisions without a quorum to support him.
At the heart of the growing dissatisfaction with Chebukati’s leadership is the decision to suspend CEO Ezra Chiloba again just hours after the Employment and Labour Relations Court reinstated him.
There have also been allegations of Chebukati’s high handedness, micromanagement of the commission and secretariat as well as backstabbing in the case of Chiloba and his team.
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On Thursday, Justice Stephen Radido termed Chiloba’s suspension as unfair and lacking in legal foundation, a directive which was later ignored by Chebukati.
He argued that the three-man Commission lacks the legal quorum to suspend the CEO following the resignation of three commissioners in April 2018.
“All we want is Chebukati and the three remaining commissioners to quit and pave way for the recruitment of a fresh team to office as his leadership of the commission becomes evidently questionable,” an official at the IEBC hinted.
“The leadership of the commission is fixated on removing Chiloba from IEBC so much so nothing is going on even as several by-elections beckon,” the staff who did not wish to be named intimated to Kenyans.co.ke.
Former IEBC commissioner Thomas Letangule has since criticized Chebukati, echoing the fact that the commission - as currently constituted - does not have quorum to transact any official business.
When he appeared before Parliament last week, Chebukati admitted that quorum hitches have hampered the commission’s work and appealed to Parliament to fast-track recruitment of additional commissioners.
The IEBC Act 2012 (Clause 5) states that “the quorum for the conduct of business at a meeting of the commission shall be at least five members of the commission.”
On Monday, Chiloba's office doors were locked and the keys secured denying him access to the agency.
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