Political leaders have no business directing how the electoral commission runs its affairs or awards tenders, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has said, warning that political involvement could compromise the IEBC’s independence ahead of the General Election.
Ichung’wah said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission should be left to perform its constitutional duties without pressure from politicians, including attempts to influence its procurement and tendering decisions.
Speaking in Gichugu, Kirinyaga, the Majority Leader said some political figures had shown interest in disputes involving IEBC tenders, with some allegedly seeking to benefit from business opportunities linked to the commission.
“Nobody should seek to control IEBC,” he said.
Ichung’wah urged politicians to resist the urge to dictate how the commission operates, saying their role should be limited to offering direction where necessary while allowing the electoral agency to make its own decisions.
“The best we can do as political leaders is to keep off the processes at IEBC. Where we need to guide, we should guide, but we should not seek to interfere with the workings of IEBC,” Ichung’wah said.
He said the independence of the electoral commission should be respected by all political players, arguing that leaders seeking to influence its internal processes risk undermining the institution they will later rely on to oversee elections.
“I appeal to those of my colleagues who want to control tenders, from how IEBC works, to recognise and appreciate that the first ‘I’ of IEBC stands for independent,” he said.
Ichung’wah said political leaders should also avoid intervening whenever disagreements arise over procurement at the commission, noting that the law already provides a way for dissatisfied parties to challenge such decisions.
“Where there are challenges, whether it's in procurement, there are structures within our procurement laws that have been put in place. If you are not satisfied with the procurement process of one thing or the other, whether in IEBC or elsewhere, you have an appellate mechanism under the Public Procurement and Disposal Act,” he said.
He further called for restraint in the political debate surrounding elections, saying not every issue involving the electoral process should become a political contest.
“Let us not seek to politicise everything around elections,” he said.
According to Ichung’wah, the credibility of the IEBC depends on its ability to perform its duties without being pushed by political interests. He described the commission as a referee that should be allowed to make decisions independently of the players taking part in the political contest.
“IEBC is just a neutral referee, and we should let them work independently and become the neutral referee that they should be,” Ichung’wah said.
His call for political leaders to respect the commission’s independence was backed by Kirinyaga Central MP Gachoki Gitari, who said the IEBC is not supposed to take instructions or direction from politicians.