Kenyans Question Kindiki’s Clearance by IEBC Over Commission’s Incomplete Status
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki’s swift nomination as Kenya’s deputy president has sparked widespread debate, especially regarding the legitimacy of his clearance by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Kindiki’s nomination comes in the wake of Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment for gross constitutional violations and abuse of office. The Senate upheld the impeachment, which coincided with Gachagua’s treatment for chest pains at Karen Hospital.
While Kindiki’s ascent seems certain, his approval by the IEBC has been thrown into question due to the commission’s incomplete status. The IEBC has been short-staffed since the resignation of four commissioners following the contentious 2022 elections. The departure of Chairperson Wafula Chebukati and commissioners Boya Molu and Abdi Guliye, whose non-renewable terms expired, further left the commission in disarray, preventing it from meeting its required quorum.
Kenyans have expressed concern over the legality of Kindiki’s clearance, given the commission’s vacancies. The speed of the IEBC’s clearance, allegedly completed in under 24 hours, has only fueled suspicion, with citizens taking to social media to voice their doubts.
Political commentator Miguna Miguna harshly criticized the clearance, saying, “Ruto and his tyrannical groupies will wait for the CJ to preside over the swearing-in of Kindiki as DP until we lock him up at Kamiti. There is no IEBC to clear Kindiki. Court Orders will continue to rain on him.”
Kenyan rapper Octopizzo echoed similar sentiments, questioning the functionality of the IEBC, tweeting, “I was under the impression that the IEBC was not operational. How, then, was Kindiki cleared by the IEBC in the middle of the night? Or am I missing something?”
Twitter user @makena_kimaita voiced concern for the judicial system: “I need our courts to really come through for us! So which IEBC cleared Kindiki?”
Other Kenyans pointed to the political machinations at play. User morris_ouko highlighted, “One of the grounds to bar Kindiki from assuming the DP office is the absence of the IEBC chairperson to clear him.” Another user, @thegiftedpen, sarcastically commented, “The IEBC cleared CS Kindiki in a record 12 hours but we have no IEBC to conduct by-elections and boundaries delimitation review.”
Despite these controversies, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi announced that Kindiki’s swearing-in could take place on October 22. Sudi further claimed that Kindiki’s nomination would help steer the nation away from tribal politics, which he alleged were fostered by Gachagua.
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Kenyans Question Kindiki’s Clearance by IEBC Over Commission’s Incomplete Status
