Former IEBC commissioner Roselyne Akombe. She resigned 7 days before the election. (kahawatungu.com)
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Roselyne Akombe resigned amid the electoral body's preparations for the repeat presidential election scheduled for October 26.
Her resignation comes at a time when there is uncertainty on whether the country will go to the ballot or not. Akombe has also resigned at a time when the National Super Alliance (NASA) has maintained that there will be no election if certain reforms are not met by IEBC.
Among her reasons for quitting IEBC, Akombe mentioned intimidation of IEBC staff from both the political actors and protestors and receiving last minute changes on technology and electronic transmission of results. She also noted that her fellow commissioners had taken partisan interests in the forthcoming election.
With her insights on what allegedly goes on within IEBC, then some of the commissioners can also find reasons for quitting their jobs. Further resignations will only paralyze further preparations as the electoral body will fall short of enough personnel.
Akombe's resignation also gives life to the anti-IEBC demos that have been going on in the country for the last four weeks. Earlier on, NASA's flagbearer Raila Odinga had pulled out on grounds that IEBC was not ready to conduct a credible election. He thus called on his supporters to stage demonstrations that will force reforms within the electoral body before the repeat election.
In case the country goes to the ballot on October 26, then the results may be challenged in court for those who will feel that either the constitution or the law had not been followed in conducting the repeat election. Another annulment of the presidential election results will only plunge the country into more misery.
The country needs to have the presidential election conducted and done away with since some sectors of life have been affected by the ongoing political tussles between Jubilee and NASA. The two most influential candidates, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, should sit together and help forge a way forward for the country.