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Wafula Chebukati, the former chairman of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), has passed away at the age of 63 after battling an illness.
Chebukati, who served as IEBC chair from January 2017 to January 2023, was at the helm of Kenya’s electoral body during two highly contested elections in 2017 and 2022.
His tenure was marked by legal battles, political pressure, and internal disputes within the commission, cementing his role as one of the most pivotal figures in Kenya’s electoral history.
Born on December 22, 1961, in Bungoma County, Chebukati was a trained lawyer who specialised in corporate and commercial law.
Before he was appointed IEBC chair, he had a private legal practice and briefly dabbled in politics, contesting for a parliamentary seat in 2007 under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) but lost.
As the head of the IEBC, he oversaw two presidential elections that reshaped Kenya’s political landscape.
The 2017 election was nullified by the Supreme Court, leading to a repeat poll that was boycotted by opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The 2022 elections were also mired in controversy, with four IEBC commissioners rejecting the results, though the Supreme Court ultimately upheld the outcome.
He retired in January 2023 and took home Sh12 million in retirement perks.
Chebukati had been in and out of the hospital in recent months due to an undisclosed illness, with reports emerging in 2024 that he was critically ill.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Chebukati, and their children.
More details regarding his funeral arrangements will be communicated by the family.
This is a developing story, more updates to follow....