By Isaac Ongiri
Ahmed Issack Hassan, the son of a Garissa Islamic preacher, grew up looking after his father’s cattle.
But now, the country’s future lies on his palm as he prepares to take charge of Kenya’s most complex General Election next year.
If approved by Parliament, he will chair the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), an agency expected to reform electoral processes and restore voter confidence.
Taking over after a flawed election in 2007, Kenyans expect Hassan, whose father Sheik Issack Hassan died of frustrations after being rigged out in a civic election in the Kanu days, to be a balance of democracy.
"It was painful when he died due to frustrations three years after being rigged out. That is why I don’t like politics and knowing the repercussions of a flawed election, I will ensure a credible process next year," Hassan said.
He has been picked by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga among those nominated by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission panel chaired by Dr Ekuru Aukot for appointment as chairman.
He was top in the interview in which Koki Mercy Muli and Murshid Mohamed finished second and third, respectively.
"As the chairman, my work will be to ensure the delivery of free and fair elections and raise the standards in Kenya to the level of Ghana and South Africa," he says.
Free and fair polls
According to Hassan, the process of ensuring free and fair elections next year had began long ago, with IIEC having worked out the modalities.
The necessary financial requisition needed to facilitate the process, Hassan says, has been granted with Sh15 billion expected to be spent to fund the historic elections.
"We have asked for Sh15 billion, which is the approximated cost of conducting the next elections and the request has been granted," he adds. The money will be spent in conducting voter registration and to complete the boundary review exercise besides other electoral expenditures such as printing of ballot papers.
Ahmed also said the IIEC had gone to court seeking an interpretation on the actual date of next year’s election, adding a ruling is expected soon.
"I am set for the responsibilities ahead. I am conscious of the challenges, the differences and the possible fallout over the boundaries. I am ready to go the full hog to ensure an amicable settlement by sticking to the law," Hassan noted.
The lawyer, 41, also said electoral officers had undergone massive training on handling elections.
He said to ensure proper elections, the public would be sensitised on the changes brought by the new Constitution, including how to vote for six different candidates in the election.
"To deal with this, we have put together a plan to conduct mock elections in Kajiado and Malindi for voters to see how the 2012 polls will be conducted," he said.
Born in Bura Division in Garissa County in 1970, Hassan, the first born in a family of eight, struggled through his way to the top. Though his father was not wealthy, he ran a shop in Bura from where he raised funds to send Hassan to Bura Primary Boarding School.
"During the holidays, my work was to look after my father’s cattle. I spent time in the grazing fields and back to books during school seasons," he recalls.
An advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Hassan went to Garissa Secondary School where he sat his "O" and "A" level examinations before joining the University of Nairobi where he graduated in 1992 with Bachelors degree in law.
He has held several positions including serving in the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission, which developed the famous constitutional Bomas draft. Hassan is married with four children.
