Wafula Wanyonyi Chebukati (19 December 1961 – 20 February 2025) was a Kenyan lawyer and a one time chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which is responsible for overseeing elections in Kenya. Wafula Chebukati was appointed to the position on a six-year tenure in January 2017[2][3] by the retired President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta. Following his appointment in 2017,[4][5] he succeeded[6][7] Ahmed Issack Hassan. He retired on 17 January 2023, following the end of his term.[8][9] He led Kenya through two heavily contested and controversial general elections; August 2017 and 2022 General Elections.

His tenure at Kenya's electoral body was also one marred with resignation of IEBC commissioners, including his deputies, who faulted his leadership.[10]

Career

Chebukati was a Kenyan lawyer with many years of experience. He ran his sole proprietorship law firm for 20 years and thereafter in 2006 he founded a Nairobi-based partnership law firm, Cootow & Associates Advocates, which he resigned from on 17 January 2017, prior to taking up the job as a State Officer in accordance with the law and in order to avoid conflict of interest. In 2017, he was accused of conflict of interest by fronting his law firm for contracts at the IEBC but the matter was dismissed by Parliament for lack of evidence.[11][12] He was a politician and member of the Orange Democratic Movement party, which he resigned from before applying for the position of Chairperson of IEBC.[13] In 2007, he contested for the Saboti Constituency parliamentary seat and came in second place.[14]

IEBC Tenure

In January 2017, he was appointed Chairperson of the IEBC.[15] During his tenure he managed three Kenyan elections: the 2017 Kenyan general election, October 2017 Kenyan presidential election[16][17] and the 2022 Kenyan general election.[18][19]

On 17 January 2023, Chebukati became the first Chairperson of the IEBC to successfully complete the 6-year constitutional term.[8][9] Chebukati was awarded Elder of the order of the Golden Heart (EGH) – Kenya's second highest award given to a civilian – by the President of Kenya.

Seven months following his appointment at the IEBC, he oversaw the 2017 elections that saw the Supreme Court of Kenya historically nullify the presidential election results over electoral irregularities and illegalities.[20] During this period he had also lost two of his commisoners; Roslyn Akombe and his CEO Ezra Chiloba.[21]

In 2018, IEBC Vice Chair Connie Nkatha Maina, together with fellow commissioners Margaret Mwachanya and Paul Kurgat, stood down from the electoral organising body citing the inability of the Commission's chairman Wafula Chebukati to lead IEBC effectively.[22][23]

During the 2022 presidential election, Chebukati found himself at the center of intense political controversy. As the head of the IEBC, he was responsible for overseeing the election that saw William Ruto declared the winner against Raila Odinga. However, the results were heavily contested, with Odinga and his supporters alleging electoral fraud and irregularities. The situation escalated when four out of the seven IEBC commissioners disowned the final results, citing lack of transparency in the tallying process.[24] Chebukati, however, maintained that the election was conducted fairly and stood by the results,[25] a decision that led to threats, legal battles, and heightened political tensions in the country. The Supreme Court eventually upheld Ruto's victory, but the disputed election further divided public opinion on Chebukati's legacy as an election official.[26]

Personal life and death

Wafula Chebukati was born in Bungoma County on 22 December 1961. He was an alumni of St Peters School Mumias, Bokoli Secondary school and Lenana High School.[27]

Chebukati held a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Nairobi,[28] and Master of Business Administration from the JKUAT. He was a member of LSK, Institute of Certified Secretaries, and ICJ.

He was married to Mary Wanyonyi, who was in 2023 nominated by President Ruto as the chairperson of the Commission of Revenue Allocation.[29]

Chebukati became critically ill in 2024, and died in Nairobi on 21 February 2025, at the age of 63.[30]

References

  1. ^ "Chebukati's wife among first to appear for PSS interviews".
  2. ^ Capital FM, 18 January 2017 President Kenyatta Appoints Chebukati To Head IEBC
  3. ^ The Standard, 18 January 2017 Uhuru Kenyatta appoints Chebukati as new IEBC Chairman
  4. ^ Citizen Digital, 29 December 2016 Uhuru Nominates Chebukati As IEBC Chair
  5. ^ Nation, 30 December 2016 Uhuru nominates Wafula Chebukati to succeed Issack Hassan as IEBC boss
  6. ^ Standard, 20 January 2017 Issack Hassan hands over office to new IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati
  7. ^ The-Star, 20Jan 2017 Time up: Issack Hassan hands over to new IEBC boss Chebukati
  8. ^ a b "End of an era as Chebukati and two poll chiefs exit IEBC". Nation. 8 January 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  9. ^ a b Nyarangi, Edwin. "Which way IEBC? Chebukati, Guliye set to retire and commissioners wanted out". The Standard. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  10. ^ Maupeu, Hervé (16 June 2015), "Kenyan Elections:", Kenya's Past as Prologue, Twaweza Communications, pp. 27–41, retrieved 21 February 2025
  11. ^ "Law firm linked to Chebukati got IEBC tenders for petitions". Nation. 28 June 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  12. ^ Nyamori, Moses. "Chebukati awarded his firm, fronted others for contracts, claims Chiloba". The Standard. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  13. ^ Nation, 10 January 2017 I resigned from ODM, IEBC boss-nominee Wafula Chebukati says
  14. ^ Ayaga, Wilfred. "I last met Raila in 2007, IEBC chairman nominee tells MPs". The Standard. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  15. ^ The-Star, 20 January 2017 Chebukati, commissioners sworn in to head IEBC
  16. ^ Standard, 30 October 2017 Kenyans react after Chebukati declares Uhuru winner
  17. ^ KBC, 30 October 2017 IEBC Chair Chebukati declares Uhuru Kenyatta President-elect
  18. ^ The-Star, 16 August 2022 Big split in IEBC as Chebukati declares Ruto president-elect
  19. ^ Capital FM, 2 September 2022 Chebukati Defends Executive Powers In Declaring Ruto President-Elect
  20. ^ Freytas-Tamura, Kimiko de (1 September 2017). "Kenya Supreme Court Nullifies Presidential Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  21. ^ "Kenya election official Roselyn Akombe flees to US". 18 October 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  22. ^ "Kenya electoral board commissioners resign over leadership fight". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  23. ^ Correspondent (16 April 2018). "Three IEBC Commissioner Resign". The Kenya Forum. Retrieved 21 February 2025. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  24. ^ "Four IEBC commissioners disown 2022 Presidential election results". Citizen Digital. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  25. ^ "Chebukati resurfaces, insists 2022 polls results were the 'most credible'". The EastAfrican. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  26. ^ "Supreme Court upholds William Ruto's Victory – Kenya News Agency". 5 September 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  27. ^ "High Schools Chebukati, Cherera and Other Ex-IEBC Commissioners Attended - Kenyans.co.ke". www.kenyans.co.ke. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  28. ^ Mpasho, 15 August 2022 10 things you didn't know about Wafula Chebukati
  29. ^ week, Stay up to date on the editors' picks of the (23 May 2023). "President Ruto nominates Wafula Chebukati's wife for CRA chair". Business Daily. Retrieved 21 February 2025. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  30. ^ EX-IEBC Chair Chebukati is dead
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wafula_Chebukati
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