IEBC must convince Kenyans it’s ready to conduct repeat election

The goings on at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) have done little to instill public confidence and demonstrate that the agency can conduct a fair and credible election on the date it has re-designated for the repeat presidential poll. Infighting and sabotage of operations by commissioners and officials may have undermined its credibility irredeemably ever since the Supreme Court annulled the August 8 poll, ruling that the commission had mismanaged the last election on account of systemic lapses and failures.

Regrettably, there is nothing to suggest that the IEBC has drawn lessons from the mistakes uncovered during the presidential election petition. And this is what the NASA presidential candidate, Mr Raila Odinga, has cited as his reason for boycotting the October 26 poll. Working at cross purposes, the agency’s commissioners and officials have continued to leak internal documents to the public to undermine each other and fulfil the agenda of elements within the political class. Furthermore, doubts still linger over whether members of this team have been able to put the squabbling behind them. This is unfortunate.