Union withdraws suit that sought to pre-empt Chiloba’s derailment

IEBC’s Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba/MUTHONI NJUKI

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 13 – The Kenya Independent Commissions Workers Union has withdrawn a suit with which it sought to protect IEBC Chief Executive Ezra Chiloba and other members of the secretariat from suspension or sacking.

The Union has withdrawn the suit in response to a strongly worded letter of protest from Chiloba who through his lawyers demanded that they leave him out of the suit as he did not instruct them to take the action on his behalf.

“Our client learnt of the existence of the suit when the same started trending on social media! It was highly improper and unethical for you or your client to move to court and seek the orders sought in the suit using our client’s name without his knowledge or consent,” Chiloba’s lawyers stated in the letter to the Union’s legal representatives; giving notice that they would sue if their demands were not met.

He accused the union officials of seeking out publicity through the suit filed six days ago and which he said, subjected him to public ridicule. “The institution of the suit was actuated by the desire to court maximum publicity and fame.”

READ: Court declines to bar IEBC from sending Chiloba packing

The Union filed the suit as divisions at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission made themselves apparent following the nullification of the August 8 presidential election.

In the immediate aftermath of the nullification, Commission Chairperson Wafula lay the blame for the poll failures on the Secretariat stating that he and his fellow commissioners had only been in office for seven months.

“The Commissioners only took office seven months ago without any changes made to the secretariat,” Chebukati stated.

Commissioner Roselyn Akombe was thereafter reported as stating that they had demanded resignations to no avail.

On Monday however, following a day-long retreat in Naivasha, it appeared that a tenuous truce had been reached.

READ: Chiloba back in favour; to steer operations of repeat presidential poll

About The Author

OLIVE BURROWS

With a decade of storytelling under her belt, Olive Burrows has been with Capital FM for the last four years and perhaps most notably interviewed US President Barack Obama. Committed to asking the hard questions and telling the story in the most engaging way possible, she has also interviewed Melinda Gates, a UK Minister and severally had the opportunity to sit across from President Uhuru Kenyatta and address the pressing issues of the day. Other notables she has had occasion to seek answers from are UN Secretary General António Guterres and John Kerry in his time as US Secretary of State.

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