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Home»Opinion»New IEBC team should make our elections not always smell blood
Opinion

New IEBC team should make our elections not always smell blood

By By Isaac Kalua GreenJuly 13, 2025No Comments4 Mins Read
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New IEBC team should make our elections not always smell blood
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Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Dr. Erastus Edung Ethekon during the swearing in of the commission at Supreme Court on July 11, 2025. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

Come, let’s sit down.

This is July, the coldest month in Kenya. In my homeland of Ukambani, we call it Ng’athamba Uni. It means “I will shower tomorrow.”

The cold was so intense that even bathing could be postponed. But even in that chill, life went on. Wisdom was shared around smoky fires. Choices were made carefully, not in haste.

Today, around this fire, I welcome the seven of you. You are the newly sworn team of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

The court has cleared the way. The oath has been taken. And now, I name you The Seed Commission. Planted in trust, watched by history. What you nurture will shape the soil of our democracy. But the season is short.

I have experienced this journey. In 1988, while preparing to become an accountant, I was a student leader at Maasai Technical Institute during the infamous Mlolongo elections.

We lined up publicly to vote, exposed and afraid. Democracy felt like just a show. In 1992, as Kenya held its first multi-party elections, rigging and ethnic violence followed.

Hope was born, but blood was also shed. In 1997, my close friends ran for office. One won with pride, while another was openly robbed. I saw firsthand how elections could both uplift and destroy. Then, in 2002, I prepared to run for Kitui Central seat against my big sister Hon Charity Ngilu. Not for fame, but from a genuine desire to improve lives. I lost with a thunderous bang, but the sights and sounds of that season remain etched in my memory.

So, when I speak to you today, I do not do so as a critic. I speak as someone who has endured Kenya’s electoral fire. The situation ahead is dire. The commission hasn’t been fully functioning for over a year.

No by-elections have occurred, and more than sixteen electoral areas still lack representation. Funds have been set aside for the pending elections, but two new constituencies remain on hold until the budget is fully secured.

Then comes the constitutional deadline: a mandatory review of electoral boundaries must be completed by February 7, 2027. According to Article 89(2) of the Constitution, this review should occur every eight to twelve years and must be finished at least a year before the General Election. The last review was due by July 2021. I’m sure you know that you are already behind.

The technology you depend on is also aging. The Biometric Voter Registration kits purchased in 2012 and the KIEMS kits acquired in 2017 are nearing the end of their supported lifespans. Although 14,100 new kits were reported purchased in 2022, many remain unused, and training on their software has stalled due to a lack of funding. Continuous voter registration has also been halted because there are no commissioners.

More urgent than technology or deadlines is trust. Kenyans still see elections as scary. Since 2007, election seasons have cost us lives, jobs, and unity. Voting should be a celebration of our sovereignty. Instead, it often turns into a cycle of suspicion, violence and mourning, which leads to voter apathy.

You now have a rare chance to rebuild trust. Start today. Improve voter education. Recruit and train your team. Work with the Treasury and Parliament to get the necessary tools. The political class will challenge your independence, offering help with strings attached. Stay firm.

Court orders are not opinions. The Constitution is not a suggestion. Integrity remains your strongest shield.

President William Ruto has fulfilled his duty by appointing you. Now, you must fulfill yours. And to every Kenyan, especially our leaders, give this team space to do their work. Support them. Challenge them constructively. But above all, protect their independence.

The fire is almost out, but your duty is just beginning. This isn’t just a job; it’s a moment that can shape Kenya for generations. May history remember you for your faithful service. Think green, act green!

www.kaluagreen.com

Published Date: 2025-07-13 12:44:08
Author:
By Isaac Kalua Green
Source: The Standard
New IEBC Team
By Isaac Kalua Green

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