IEBC moves officials in major changes ahead of elections

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has reshuffled its officials across the country ahead of elections.

The commission has further scrapped the position of regional coordinators and instead appointed 47 county managers.

In the changes, all the 290 constituencies have new returning officers.

IEBC’s 17 regional coordinators have been retained as election managers. Another 30 officials have been promoted to make the 47 county managers.

In a letter to all the officers dated May 2, 2017, a copy of which The Standard obtained, CEO Ezra Chiloba said they followed a criteria approved by the commission when making the deployments.

Home county

This includes a requirement that one should not be posted to the constituency or county where they served before. Also, an officer should not served in their home county or constituency.

This is meant to avoid cases where politicians influence or compromise poll officials in their regions.

IEBC also considered the health of the affected officers and mapped out areas considered as strongholds of political parties and hotspots before determining whom to deploy.

All officials received their letters and are expected in their new stations before May 20.

“The commission has also directed that all county managers and returning officers shall report to their new stations not later than May 20, 2017,” reads the memo that bears signatures of three commission officials.

Chiloba also appointed a five-member team, led by Joseph Ayatta, to oversee the transition. Other members are Jason Akoyo, Joseph Yegon, Mohamed Osman and Naisiae Tobiko.

The officers are expected to move with speed and familiarise themselves with the new stations, meet political party representatives and candidates, security officers and other stakeholders.

“Following successful interviews, at least 30 constituency election coordinators were promoted to the position of county managers. We now have 47 County Election Managers (CEMs) who have been deployed to serve in various parts of the country.”

IEBC is expected to gazette the new officials in accordance with the law. The latest appointments are meant to gain trust of stakeholders about the integrity of the elections.

The exercise was put on hold last week after some of the affected officers claimed it was done in an inhumane manner.

Former station

One officer was moved from Nairobi to Moyale, 800 kilometres away from his former station while some returning officers were moved to areas within the same county.

“We agreed that all transfers should have a human face and should be done at the plenary to ensure a human face. I am therefore cancelling all the transfers,” IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said last week.

“There were some concerns by those affected and the commission opted to hold on until that is addressed and ensure it’s done in a humane way,” Commissioner Roselyn Akombe then said. Akombe noted some officers had been transferred to far flung areas despite their health or family challenges.