Four former IEBC commissioners were forced to resign from their positions, the National Dialogue Committee heard on Thursday.
The committee was told that the commissioners, who came to be known as the Cherera Four, did not quit their jobs out of their own will after the 2022 elections.
In a presentation to the committee, former vice chair Juliana Cherera, former commissioners; Francis Wanderi, Justus Nyang'aya and commissioner Irene Masit said they were forced to quit after they questioned the process that led to the declaration of presidential results.
"It was the commission to tally and the chair (Chebukati) to declare the results. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to do that," Wanderi told the committee.
Wanderi was accompanied by Nyang'aya when making the presentation. Cherera and Masit joined the meeting virtually.
Wanderi added all commissioners were required to sign form 34 C, which had a summary of presidential results from all constituencies.
"That form was never availed to us. What we got was a form containing a summary of the results from all counties," he added.
"It was unfair for us to be forced out. We hope the matter will be looked into."
The four commissioners rejected the presidential results announced by IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati on August 15, 2022, claiming the final tallying of the results was marred with discrepancies and irregularities.
They also filed affidavits supporting Azimio’s unsuccessful petition challenging President William Ruto’s win at the Supreme Court.
Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairperson Wafula Chebukati has insisted that the four dissenting commissioners were attempting to subvert the will of Kenyans.
While appearing before Justice Aggrey Muchelule on January 24, 2023, Chebukati informed the tribunal that the four were endorsing attempts to breach the constitution and consequently subvert the will of the people.
"The Constitution of Kenya is very clear on the system of democracy and we as a commission were put in place to ensure that Kenyans express their will through the ballot," he stated.
On Thursday, Wanderi added that Kenya should borrow from the Ghanaian system.
"They have the chair who has two deputies. They are the accounting officers who are full-time staff," he stated.
Masit said she is out of the country for security reasons.
"Remember I am from the Rift Valley," she stated.
