Yusuf Nzibo the commissioner of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission was overcame by emotions when nine electoral body officials appeared before a Parliamentary committee yesterday.
Yusuf Nzibo struggled to hold back tears as he described the emotional torture occasioned by allegations linking him and a commissioner of the former Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) Douglas Mwashigadi, to the infamous ‘chickengate’ scandal.
“It has destroyed both my reputation and that of my family. I have had a very distinguished reputation,” said Nzibo.
Mr Nzibo got on the brink of tears as he described an incident in which Mwashighadi was in serious need of medical assistance but did not get it.
“Mwashighadi, unfortunately, passed away because of cancer and none of those people came to see us even in hospital. Every day when I read about Chickengate, I become very sad because I have had a very distinguished career in this country,” he said wiping tears from his eyes.
Still in the same session, tempers flared and heated arguments arose when IEBC Chairman Issack Hassan termed Auditor General Edward Ouko ‘a liar’ before accusing the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of swallowing the contents of his report without verifying their authenticity.
“He (Ouko) is a liar. You are treating what he is saying as if it is gospel truth. We cannot sit here and listen to you repeating the same lies,” said Hassan.
In a quick rejoinder, the Committee’s Chair Samuel Chepkonga countered Hassan’s argument saying: “It is not for you to tell this committee what it is supposed to do. You are here because a petition was brought to us. You have to respond to the petition”.
“You have no right to get annoyed and angry. Present your information in a manner that is acceptable to all. We will not allow people to be cantankerous,” Chepkonga firmly stated.
Later in a closed-door meeting, IEBC Commissioners are said to have expressed their readiness to leave office as long as they were paid their dues and not subjected to prosecution or harassment for what they did during their tenure.
The Chepkonga-led committee is looking into a petition calling for the disbandment of the IEBC citing various malpractices by the current officials.