Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati was battling a recurring illness, with his family and friends keeping a close watch on his condition at his home in Karen, Nairobi.

“After treatment in Germany, he recovered and was able to enjoy walks around here. Unfortunately, the illness returned, and he had to go back to the hospital,” a close relative shared, their voice filled with concern. 

Chebukati had been flown to Germany after the 2022 Election, where he spent a prolonged period receiving treatment. He returned home several months ago after recovering, but soon after, the illness returned, leading to a brief hospitalization before he was taken back home for further monitoring.

"He was doing well, but was under treatment and close observation," the relative said. 

Chebukati, whose leadership during Kenya’s controversial 2022 presidential election cemented his legacy, kept a low profile since announcing President William Ruto’s narrow victory.

“Despite a few technical hitches, we successfully adopted a new, innovative way of integrating voter identification and transmission of results. This is something we had never done before as a Commission in the Republic of Kenya. For that, I would like to thank every Kenyan for placing their trust in us to deliver a credible election,” Chebukati said.

August 15, 2022, remains a pivotal moment in Kenya’s political history, when the country was waiting for the announcement of the 2022 general polls. 

Ruto won with 7,176,141 votes (50.49 percent) against Raila Odinga’s 6,942,930 votes (48.85 percent), all while facing immense political pressure and threats.

At the Bomas of Kenya, Chebukati found himself caught in a storm of tension, facing assassination plots, the abduction of his colleagues, and numerous attempts to manipulate the election results. 

“We now know that Chairman Wafula Chebukati, commissioners Abdi Yakub Guliye and Boya Molu as well as the CEO, Hussein Marjan, and their staff, were offered stupendous financial rewards to cooperate with the agents of impunity, but they bravely resisted,” Ruto said adding, “we know that there was a direct attempt to abduct Wafula Chebukati and murder him so that the commission would be paralysed, or a compliant commission to take over and subvert the people’s sovereignty."

During this time, President Ruto recalled how Chebukati’s family desperately reached out for help, prompting clergy to escort him back to the tallying center after he had briefly left to rest. State operatives allegedly tried to harm him to force a rerun, but his security team ensured his safety.

“That is what integrity looks like when working for the people of Kenya: standing firm with the Constitution, enduring pressure, and resisting threats,” Ruto remarked on January 17, 2023, praising Chebukati’s bravery. “The promise of our Constitution depends, in part, on the integrity and vigilance of commissions and independent offices. They are the auditors of the auditors; they watch over the watchmen.” 

After Azimio filed a petition challenging the election results in the High Court, the apex Court dismissed the opposition’s evidence as "hot air."

Chief Justice Koome later clarified in an interview with a local station that the phrase was a result of the court's fact-finding process, based on the evidence presented by Raila Odinga’s legal team.

“If you read the judgment and followed the reasoning, there is a reason for each of those conclusions... why the court made those remarks. They may have angered some people, but they were not meant to offend anyone,” she explained. “It was simply an expression of the court’s findings based on the evidence before it, because some Form 34As presented were based on hearsay.”

Chebukati retired in January 2023 after a six-year tenure, walking away with a Sh12.4 million gratuities. His monthly salary of Sh924,000 included a basic salary of Sh554,400, with Commissioners Boya Molu and Abdi Guliye receiving similar packages.

“I leave a very contented man, and I can confidently say we gave it our all. We weathered the storms that threatened the commission's existence, endured the fatigue in preparing for the election, and showed the courage to overcome the challenges of democracy. We delivered the will of the people of Kenya,” he said on his final day as IEBC chairman on January 16, 2023.

President Ruto commended Chebukati’s unwavering commitment, adding, “That is what integrity looks like when working for the people of Kenya: standing with the Constitution, braving pressure, and resisting threats.”

The president also highlighted the critical role constitutional commissions and independent offices play in Kenya’s democracy, acknowledging their contribution to the country’s prosperity and stability. By Benjamin Imende, The Standard