Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has supported the move by ‘Chebukati three’ not to appear before the ongoing National Dialogue Committee talks.
In a statement on Thursday, Duale said that former IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati did his part as mandated by the law and completed it.
He said what remains is a submission of the evaluation report.
“Chebukati has done his constitutional duty on the 2022 elections and it’s only IEBC to present to the country and Parliament the 2022 Post-election Evaluation report as per the law. Period,” Duale said in his X handle.
The dialogue committee had invited Chebukati and ex-commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu to make oral presentations.
However, the three did not appear before the committee saying it would be a reward for impunity and betrayal to the IEBC staff who were tortured and murdered.
Instead, Chebukati recommended that a commission should be set up to investigate the unfortunate incidences of August 15, 2022, at Bomas of Kenya which according to him brought the image of Kenya into disrepute.
“The inquiry should also uncover the reasons why some of the Commission abducted, tortured or even killed during the election period; identify persons responsible for those atrocities,” he said.
The former IEBC boss said after the inquiry appropriate punishment should be meted out to those responsible.
After six years of service, Guliye, Chebukati and Molu left the commission after their term ended on January 17.
Chebukati said they conducted a successful general election in August last year.
He said he had set the bar for the incoming commission.
The former IEBC boss said together with the ex-commissioners Boya Molu and Abdi Guliye, they had set a pace for their successors.
“We believe the pace has been set and I take this opportune moment to wish our successors all the best as they pick the baton from us to take the elections of this country to the next level,” Chebukati said.
During his tenure, the former IEBC boss said the Commission endured relentless fatigue in preparation for the election.
“I exit contented that we gave it our best to this commission. We chartered and weathered storms that threatened the existence of the commission,” Chebukati said.