The National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has urged political leaders to keep off the affairs of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), warning against attempts to interfere with its operations and procurement processes.
Ichung’wah said political leaders should allow the electoral body to discharge its mandate independently and without undue influence, particularly as the country prepares for the general election.
Speaking in Gichugu, Kirinyaga County, Ichung’wah said leaders should resist the temptation to control the IEBC, including through its tendering and procurement processes.
“Nobody should seek to control IEBC,” he said, claiming that some individuals had become involved in the commission’s tender disputes because they were pursuing business opportunities.
He said political leaders should instead provide guidance where necessary while respecting the commission’s independence.
“The best we can do as political leaders is to keep off the processes at IEBC. Where we need to guide, we should guide, but we should not seek to interfere with the workings of IEBC,” Ichung’wah said.
The Majority Leader appealed to politicians seeking to influence the commission’s operations to remember that its mandate requires it to operate independently.
“I appeal to those of my colleagues who want to control tenders, from how IEBC works, to recognise and appreciate that the first ‘I’ of IEBC stands for independent,” he said.
Ichung’wah said any concerns over procurement at the IEBC should be addressed through established legal mechanisms rather than political intervention, pointing to the country’s public procurement laws which provide avenues for parties dissatisfied with procurement decisions to seek redress.
“Where there are challenges, whether it’s in procurement, there are structures within our procurement laws that have been put in place. If you are not satisfied with the procurement process of one thing or the other, whether in IEBC or elsewhere, you have an appellate mechanism under the Public Procurement and Disposal Act,” He said.
Ichung’wah cautioned political leaders against politicising every aspect of the electoral process, arguing that the IEBC should be allowed to function as an impartial umpire.
“Let us not seek to politicize everything around elections,” he said.
He likened the commission to a neutral referee whose credibility depends on its ability to operate without interference from political players.
“IEBC is just a neutral referee and we should let them work independently and become the neutral referee that they should be,” Ichung’wah said.
His sentiments were echoed by Kirinyaga Central Member of Parliament, Gachoki Gitari, who said IEBC is not guided or directed by politicians.
By Mutai Kipng’etich
