Avoid curse of Kenyan polls by picking good team to head IEBC

A polling station during a past election. [File, Standard]

A proper constitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is not an option. Since the 2002 General Election, the agency has had integrity issues, particularly in managing the presidential election results. We may remember that presidential election outcomes have never been outrightly conclusive. The Supreme Court of Kenya has determined the winner of the presidential results since 2013. Something is wrong with the way the commission is set up.

The experience of Kenya's general elections being chaotic, violent and manipulated is nothing new. Since 2007, people have lost their lives in every general elections. It is as if we don't care about the dignity and sanctity of human life. The Kriegler report, in examining the 2007 election preparedness and results, concluded that it was impossible to tell who the presidential winner was. In the 2022 elections, we had a split IEBC: The late Wafula Chebukati with his team of three against what was called the Cherera Four. The four were hounded out of town, never to be heard again.