Uhuru declares IEBC commissioners positions vacant

A file photo of IEBC commissioner Abdulahi Sharawe, chairman Issack Hassan and National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale. /JACK OWUOR
A file photo of IEBC commissioner Abdulahi Sharawe, chairman Issack Hassan and National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale. /JACK OWUOR

President Uhuru Kenyatta has declared the positions of outgoing IEBC commissioners vacant, following their official resignation on Wednesday.

State House said on Thursday that the President had declared the vacancies in the offices of the chairperson and IEBC members in a special Kenya Gazette notice.

Spokesman Manoah Esipisu said the next step will be for the Parliamentary Service Commission to send names of nine nominees to the selection panel for consideration and appointment.

The team of the outgoing nine includes chairman Issack Hassan, vice chairperson Lilian Mahiri-Zaja, Thomas Letangule, Muthoni Wangai and Mohamed Alwai.

The others are Abdullahi Sharawe, Yusuf Nzibo, Kule Galma and Albert Bwire.

They but asked Uhuru to allow them to remain in office until the new team is hired.

Esipisu said the commissioners will service their notice period while in office.

"There shall be no constitutional crisis engendered by their being no substantive IEBC commissioners in office during this transitional period," he said.

The commissioners struck

a deal with the government on September 30, when they said they will stay in office to prevent

a power vacuum and a consequent constitutional crisis.

The President will constitute a panel to recruit new commissioners before October 11.

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The team agreed to resign on August 3,

ending several

months of

tumultuous political confrontation and violent demonstrations.

But they had

over attempts to kick them out.

State House Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, who led exit package negotiations, praised them for reaching the deal.

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