Clergy, county governors support envoys call for dialogue over IEBC

IEBC chairperson Issack Hassan speaking to the press

A clergy has supported the Council of Governors (CoG) and foreign envoys in Kenya in calling for dialogue to ease tensions between Government and Opposition over disbanding the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Speaking on Thursday, Bishop Kiogora Magambo supported CoG chairman Peter Munya, who said there is need for the government, opposition and other stakeholders to agree on the composition of IEBC as the country gears towards 2017 elections.

"An election is a sensitive exercise and before it is conducted, the people in charge must be credible and trustworthy, to all parties. It is just like during examinations where the students always trust the examiners to fairly award them their dues," said Bishop Kiogora of Jesus House of Praise in Meru.

Kiogora said all suspicions surrounding the current IEBC commissioners must be eliminated before next election to dispel any suspicion that they would not be free and fair.

"The Government, Opposition and other stakeholders should sit down and dialogue on the way forward. All of them must believe in the process, meaning that the institutions must be strong and non-partisan," he added.

He said an electoral body lacking support from all parties would be a recipe for disaster.

"We don't know who will win the election. Maybe the (current) government will win or lose. If someone says they are smelling a rat, then that smell must be eliminated before the election," Kiogora said.

CoG Chairman Peter Munya, who is also the Meru governor said, "There are people who support the present IEBC and those against it. All should sit down and come up with a common resolution, because nobody wants to go into an election with fear of being rigged out, including me."

"It is clear the IEBC is getting a tainted image, so it is imperative for all stakeholders to deliberate, so that we conduct a credible election,” Munya added.