THE IEBC has approved far-reaching changes to its secretariat, even as the Commission awaits the publication of the full judgment by the Supreme Court repealing President Uhuru Kenyatta’s reelection.

The Commission on Saturday held a daylong crisis meeting and resolved to initiate a radical purge at the secretariat led by Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba before the new presidential election in 60 days.

“Our hands are tied until we see the full judgment by the Supreme Court, but we have agreed on the way forward as part of our contingency plan,” a commissioner at the IEBC told the Star yesterday on condition of anonymity.

“It would be on the basis of that judgment that, of course, the Commission would make long-term internal changes to enhance efficiency in the conduct of the rerun.

"Some people must take responsibility immediately."

Citing irregularities and illegalities in how the IEBC tallied and reported the August 8 Presidential vote, the Supreme Court on Friday declared the results invalid, null and void, and said a new election must be held within two months.

On Saturday, the electoral bosses endorsed major changes to Operations and the Legal and ICT departments, with heads expected to roll this week.

These wide-ranging changes are part of the commission's internal restructuring efforts ahead of the epic Presidential rematch.

According to the evidence that the petitioners adduced before the apex court, a number of forms 34A and 34B - the statutory election declaration instruments- were either not properly signed or tampered with, in what indicted the Operations department.

The ICT department is being blamed for failing the Commission in its management of the Results Transmission System, which widely formed the backbone of the Presidential election annulment.

The Legal department is on the spot over the commission's 'poor' defence at the Supreme Court.

The Commission, however, shelved fresh recruitment in the affected departments, instead agreeing to promote internal officers to hold the positions in an acting capacity, as there is no adequate time before the new polls.

Recruitment of substantive officers will come after the election, after the commissioners examine the full judgment by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court, during the announcement of the determination of the presidential election petition, said it would give out a well-reasoned judgment within 21 days.

The judgment will highlight areas of ‘irregularities and illegalities’ with comprehensive recommendations on officers culpability to enable the IEBC to take action on staffers, including sacking them.

Already anxiety has gripped top secretariat staff over the impending surgery, even as the opposition coalition NASA and Jubilee lock horns on the fate of the Commission.

The restructuring of the IEBC before the snap presidential election expected within two months has become a fresh battlefront, pitting Jubilee against NASA, with both parties advancing hardline positions.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who filed the petition prompting the court’s decision, has focused his wrath on the Commission, demanding that some commissioners and top secretariat officials be replaced.

“As NASA we will not go back to the ballot if the 'thieves' will still conduct the polls. Those thieves at the IEBC must go. Hyenas cannot be shepherds,” said Raila yesterday.

Speaking at St Steven’s ACK church, Raila insisted the Commission, as currently constituted, is tainted and should not be allowed to oversee the polls and singled out Chiloba as among the senior officers who must give way.

NASA has maintained that Chiloba, Deputy Commission Secretary (Operations) Betty Sungura-Nyabuto, Legal and Public Affairs Director Praxedes Tororey, Voter Registration and Electoral Operations Director Immaculate Kassait and ICT Director James Muhati should not supervise the next polls.

They have also named Commissioner Yakub Guliye, who chairs the ICT committee of the IEBC, but analysts say this is impossible – given the time left, as the process is lengthy and rigorous.

The push-and-pull pitting Jubilee and NASA would threaten the Commission’s preparations for a fresh Presidential poll, given the 60-day constitutional deadline.

Yesterday political analyst Martin Andati told the Star that the battle for the reconstitution of the IEBC ahead of the polls could pose serious logistical challenges to the body, if protracted.

“It is clear who should take responsibility, those who bungled the election cannot be allowed to conduct the next polls,” he said.

“We should see changes in the Operations and the IT department, because even during the hearings it was clear that they were indicted. Heads should roll and if not the opposition will have legitimate concerns.”

At the same time, the electoral agency - which was heavily indicted by the Supreme Court - will consult the government through the ministry of Interior and Education before setting the date for the repeat presidential election.

The consultation will inform the date of the new polls to ensure that they do not disrupt this year’s national examinations as schools are used as polling stations.

Courtesy