IEBC Commissioners Issue their Resignations
Nine electoral commissioners have handed their resignation to President Uhuru Kenyatta.The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials have asked the president to allow them to remain in office until new commissioners are recruited.In a statement on the 5th of October 2016, Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua said the President received the notice of their resignation on Tuesday evening.
IEBC bosses reached a deal with the government last week, paving the way for the Treasury to release their send-off packages, which was part of the proposals by the joint Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on IEBC, which included forfeited salaries, allowances and gratuity for the years they served. This was after Cord and Jubilee agreed to form a select committee to discuss electoral reforms before the next election.
Joseph Kinyua, led the government team that handled the commissioners’ exit, stating that the negotiations were held strictly under the law and parliamentary recommendations.
“The negotiations have been guided by the need to strike a balance between public interest, legal and constitutional demands, the contract of appointment to office of each commissioner and the guideline of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission,” Mr Joseph Kinyua said at a press briefing. The commissioners will know their package on Monday 10th October once the process is completed.
IEBC chairperson Isaac Hassan thanked Kenyans for the opportunity to serve in the commission, also calling for a speedy recruitment process that will ensure no delays of the electoral process.
President Uhuru Kenyatta will constitute a panel to recruit new commissioners before October 11, 2016.
