COTU (K) Applauds IEBC Commissioners for their Decision to Leave Office
PRESS RELEASE
DECISION BY IEBC COMMISSIONERS TO RESIGN
The Central Organisation of Trade Unions, COTU (K) applauds the nine (9) commissioners to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for their bold decision to leave office following the numerous complaints on their impartiality and integrity as far as the conduct of the country’s subsequent elections is concerned.
The decision by the commissioners was no doubt long overdue and as cited by themselves, it was in the interest of the country as well as for the sake of guaranteeing all Kenyans a free, fair and independent election for next year and we urge allplayers to live up to the expectations of Kenyans and agree on a process that will not only give but equally show that the new commissioners recruited to the newly constituted IEBC are Kenyans of high integrity, reputation and independent from our hitherto murky politicalrhetoric and persuasions.
COTU (K) indeed made its position clear before the joint Parliamentary committee on IEBC that for Kenya to be guaranteed peace after the general elections, IEBC commissioners had to honorably vacate office and this had nothing to do with their inability to preside over an election but rather the perception already created among workers and Kenyans as a whole on the Commission’s impartiality as a referee in the next elections.
However, as a whole, the commissioners have done well and should be commended for their efforts despite the difficulties faced and we urge all Kenyans to be patient and accept the yet to be reconstituted team of commissioners to- the- will-be newly constituted IEBC since as workers’ umbrella body in the country, COTU (K) has no doubt that the new team will be recruited in an open and transparent manner where all Kenyans will see a sense of ownership and representation in their execution of their oath of office.
As a country, elections have remained emotive and let us arrest any attempts likely to raise such emotions during the next elections and always appreciate that Kenya is far much bigger than any one single individual.
Francis Atwoli NOM (DZA), EBS, MBS
SECRETARY GENERAL
