Months to 2017 polls, ODM leader Raila Odinga launched a spirited campaign that targeted IEBC officials, who he had accused of rigging 2013 polls.
With his agitations culminating in street protests, Raila finally carried the day after parliament reached a consensus to pick new officials.
And in his book, The Failed Quest for Electoral Justice, journalist John Onyando, who worked in Raila's strategy team, recalls how a meeting in early 2017 guaranteed Wafula Chebukati leadership of the electoral agency.
Top applicant Roselyne Odede had been omitted from the short list and lawyer Tukero Ole Kina was at pole position to be picked having emerged the best.
Whe President Uhuru Kenyatta settled on Chebukati, ODM legislators opposed the decision and even filed a motion to overturn the decision.
But a decisive Raila, knowing the danger of rejecting Chebukati, following advise from his senior team, summoned MPs and urged them to withdraw the motion.
"He called for a meeting with MPs having met his advisors. Initially, he was of the idea that Tukero was best suited for the job.
"However, the danger was, Chebukati hailed from Luhya community, which had supported his bid for long. He had to drop the idea and back him," he notes in his book, adding that the advisers meeting had taken place at Upper-hill.
After 2017 polls, Raila accused Chebukati of mismanaging polls and ended up in Supreme Court where he won.
Lately, Chebukati has been struggling to stamp authority at the electoral agency after four commissioners resigned.