The Bomas election results debacle came up on the second day of interviews for the next Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson.
Erastus Ethekon, a human rights lawyer from Turkana County, was the first candidate to face the selection panel.
With calm and collected composure, he explained how he would address the issues that have plagued Kenya’s elections, particularly the critical moment of announcing final results.
Ethekon described the scenes witnessed during the last poll and the subsequent IEBC split as disrespectful to Kenyans. He highlighted that the underlying issue was a lack of trust and confidence in the institution, an issue he pledged to address if appointed to the position.
“Why do we get to this level? what are the underlying issues as a society? As Kenyans, there is a big gap when it comes to trusting our institutions. The lack of confidence is what needs to be addressed and is what is costing us…The new team should prioritize restoring trust. We must evaluate even the IEBC staff, whether they are neutral, because we bring different orientations, persuasions, we need to reconcile that and ensure we carry out our duties in a manner that complies with the law,” he said.
He asserted that the IEBC team must, at all times, carry out its mandate and duties in a manner that respects the people of Kenya. He further expressed regret over the events at Bomas, where commissioners disagreed over the process.
Ethekon, reflecting on the aftermath of those events, emphasized the importance of teamwork. He added that there should be a structured approach to engagement and decision-making that aligns with the commission’s mandate.
He clarified that the role of the Chair is to announce and declare results, while the commissioners’ responsibility is to verify them. If any issues arise, he said, they should be documented, rather than abandoning or disowning the process.
“We should work as team, have structured engagement and decision making, according to law…results recorded are final, the role of the chair is to return and declare, our role the seven of us is to verify as a collegiate and if any members of the team disagree, we should record it. Remember, we were recruited together to do this collective duty” he told the panel.
“ I will open up this conversation to the stakeholders why should we get to that level of violence. This is an election we have invested and when we are about to declare the results, we lapse into anarchy. I will engage electoral stakeholders on this. It is the will of Kenyans that must prevail. We must manage situations where one is not the preferred winner,” he said.
Age factor
The 48-year-old who pledged to work with electoral stakeholders in his efforts to build trust around electoral management and processes acknowledged that he signed up for the job well aware of the pressures it entails.
“As an individual, I know I have the stamina, strength and mental capacity to withstand those fracas…That’s why I am here, well aware of those pressures.” He said.
Although many had discouraged him from applying for the position, he maintained that the job had to be done by a Kenyan as the constitution dictates.
“For most people, even applying for this job is pressure in itself. Some tell you a lot of negativity, but a Kenyan must do this job unless we outsource it. The law says it’s a Kenyan citizen who must hold this position, and that’s why I’m here, fully aware of the pressure,” he said.
The interviews at the College of Insurance in South C, Nairobi, are being streamed live on KBC Channel 1 and the KBC YouTube channel.
The final batch of candidates for the chairperson position will be interviewed on Wednesday, March 26, after which interviews for the six vacant commissioner positions will begin on Thursday, March 27, and continue until April 24.
