Kiambu Governor William Kabogo has said that next year’s general election might not be credible if the current Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is disbanded and new commissioners appointed.
According to Kabogo, it will take at least six months for the new commissioners if appointed to settle down, a move he said could hamper the election preparedness.
Kabogo in an exclusive interview with the Star Newspaper on Tuesday said that disbanding the IEBC could cripple the 2017 elections.
The Kiambu Governor noted that the process of recruiting new commissioners will take time and eat up in to the time meant for election preparedness.
“As much as we want the IEBC to be disbanded in my opinion I don’t think it the right thing to do now since we are barely fourteen months into the 2017 election,” he said as quoted by the Star Newspaper.
He observed that new commissioners will have little time to familiarize with electoral policies if the current IEBC will be disbanded.
Kabogo said that Cord leaders who are pushing for the disbandment of the commission should have spoken earlier.
The Kiambu governor also asked the government to fund the electoral body for credible polls.
He said that fair and transparent elections will be realized if the electoral body is given enough funds for preparation and conducting the polls.
Opposition leaders have been calling for the disbandment of IEBC accusing it of allegedly favoring the Jubilee government.
The opposition led by Raila Odinga has been claiming and accusing the IEBC of plotting to rig the 2017 elections in favour of Jubilee government, claims the electoral body has vehemently refuted.
Already a parliamentary committee with members from Jubilee and Cord has been formed to look into the issues surrounding the electoral body.
There are unconfirmed claims that already four IEBC commissioners have tendered their resignations to President Uhuru Kenyatta. The joint parliamentary committee will into the IEBC issues and is expected to give its report findings and recommendations after 30 days.