Chebukati receives IEBC election management award in Portugal

Proud moment for Kenya as IEBC bags the Election Management Award.

Former IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati received the award on Thursday in Lisbon, Spain.

“Congratulations IEBC Kenya. Glad to have witnessed this," he said.

Kenya also was the runner-up position for the Election Ergonomic Award at the 19th International Electoral Affairs Award Ceremony.

Speaking at the event, Chebukati said the award was well after he did a presentation titled “Kenya 2022 Election Success Story: Leveraging Technology for Increased Election Integrity” at the four-day event.

“I did the presentation yesterday ( Wednesday) and I believe this award is well deserved,” he said.

The four-day event from November 13 to 16 was organized by the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies in collaboration with the Portuguese National Electoral Commission and will draw leading figures in the world of electoral affairs, and recognise excellence in electoral management.

In his presentation, Chebukati said technology can never cure impunity in elections despite it having greatly enhanced transparency and accountability.

He said the Supreme Court affirmed technology's role in the delivery of credible 2022 Kenyan polls.

"The Supreme Court stated the following in its judgment: 'The technology deployed by the IEBC for the conduct of the 2022 general elections met the standards of integrity, verifiability, security, and transparency to guarantee accurate and verifiable results'," Chebukati told the symposium in Lisbon.

Despite the success of leveraging technology for increased election integrity, he noted, impunity still reigned during the 2022 elections.

"Technology – even when leveraged at its best - cannot cure impunity in elections. With all these unimpeachable technological measures in place, violence was still meted on election officials during the 2022 General Election," he said.

Following his exit from IEBC early this year, Chebukati has managed to keep a low profile.

After six years of service Chebukati and ex-commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Moluleft the commission after their term ended on January 17.

Chebukati said they conducted a successful general election in August last year.

He said he had set the bar for the incoming commission

The former IEBC boss said together with the ex-commissioners Boya Molu and Abdi Guliye, they had set a pace for their successors.

"I  believe the pace has been set and I take this opportune moment to wish our successors all the best as they pick the baton from us to take the elections of this country to the next level,” Chebukati said.

During his tenure, the former IEBC boss said the Commission endured relentless fatigue in preparation for the election.

“I exit contented that we gave it our best to this commission. We chartered and weathered storms that threatened the existence of the commission,” Chebukati said.

However, Chebukati said he has no regrets.

Congratulations @IEBCKenya for winning the Election Management Award and coming in Runner’s Up position for the Election Ergonomic Award at the 19th International Electoral Affairs Award Ceremony held at Crowne Plaza, Portugal, yesterday night. Glad to have witnessed this moment. pic.twitter.com/3pniWf38tZ

— Wafula Chebukati EGH (@WChebukati) November 16, 2023

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