NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 26 – A section of Azimio la Umoja Coalition Members of Parliament have issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to reinstate Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ruth Kulundu.
Addressing the media shortly after police dispersed them with teargas outside the electoral body’s offices at Anniversary Towers Monday during a peaceful protest, the leaders stated that Kulundu’s interdiction was aimed at intimidating leaders who were whistleblowers.
“It is part of a well-orchestrated scheme to intimidate public officers who stand by the rule of law but also question upholding free and fair elections,” Members of Parliament led by Ruaraka’s TJ Kajwang stated.
“We hereby order that IEBC immediately reinstates Ruth Kulundu to her rightful position of deputy CEO within the next 24 hours, failure to which we shall take stern action against Chebukati.”
The lawmakers asserted that the commission acted in violation of Human Resource practices by failing to use the proper channels in regards to the disciplinary proceedings against Kulundu.
“The Chairman unilaterally decided to interdict Madam Kulundu just like that in Mombasa. The commission never sat down to deliberate on the issues of Kulundu. Marjan can’t fire his deputy because the deputy is employed by the commission not Marjan,” Kajwang said.
In a joint statement they claimed that both IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati and CEO Marjan Hussein were hell bent at surrendering the independence of the institutions to the Executive.
“While their actions remain heroic in the eyes of beneficiaries, the Azimio leadership puts the duo on notice for eroding the gains we have made in transforming the electoral system in Kenya,” Kajwang said.
Marjan accused Kulundu of misconduct for arranging an illegal commission plenary meeting without approval.
In the meeting, the four commissioners who disputed the 2022 presidential election results picked law firms that would represent the commission in the consolidated presidential election petition.
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