Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Francis Wanderi has resigned.
Wanderi, who was among the four embattled commissioners, tendered his resignation on Thursday, December 8, over what he termed as a predetermined fate in the process of evaluating their suitability to hold office conducted by the tribunal.
He becomes the third IEBC commissioner to tender his resignation after former vice chair, Juliana Cherera and Justus Nyang’aya.
His resignation left Irene Masit as the only commissioner in office from the bracket of the four officials targetted by four petitions submitted in the National Assembly.
President William Ruto suspended the four commissioners following a recommendation from the National Assembly.
The Head of State proceeded to form a tribunal led by Justice Aggrey Mchelule which was tasked to probe into the four officials before giving a conclusive report regarding their fate.
Worth noting, the resignation of the three commissioners risked plunging the electoral commission into a constitutional crisis with regard to the quorum.
The commission’s Chairperson Wafula Chebukati, and two other commissioners are expected to retire in January, an event which would see the commission left without a substantive commissioner to run its operations.
Politicians affiliated with the opposition faction had expressed their reservations against the process in what they termed as an infringement of IEBC’s independence.
Azimio la Umoja leaders led by Raila Odinga denounced the process, arguing that the state was planning to pre-rig the 2027 elections.
