The transition at IEBC must be midwifed delicately and diligently

The Joint Parliamentary Select Committee on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission completed its public hearings last week. The committee will be retreating to deliberate on the way forward. The climax of the hearing was the commitment by the commissioners to a ‘dignified exit’ of office through a ‘political settlement’. The conversation on the performance of the commission and its commissioners is ongoing. Meanwhile, there are nearly fifty five accusations levelled against the commissioners by different stakeholders and sixteen specifically against the chairman which the Parliamentary committee will be grappling with. But this article addresses itself to the form and manner in which the transition should be held.

Throughout the presentation to the Kiraitu-Orengo led committee, one could not fail to appreciate the in-depth mastery of electoral processes and systems across the world exhibited by the commissioners. Some members of secretariat could also be seen to match this level of experience and knowhow-of course others are still new in the office like the ICT Director. And therein lies the problem. If the country goes for an overhaul of the commission then the next general elections could at best be projected as drama.