Chebukati Dismisses Junet’s Claims Of IEBC Sabotaging BBI Signature Verification, Admits Internet Challenges

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) boss Wafula Chebukati has dismissed claims that the Commission is sabotaging constitutional reform process by delaying the verification of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) signatures.

The claims were made on Wednesday by BBI Secretariat co-chair and National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed.

But in a statement on Thursday, Chebukati termed the remarks as false further saying the signature verification exercise is going on well at the Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi.

“…the Commission would like to state that the allegation that the Commission is sabotaging the process is not only unfortunate but also completely false. The process of signature verification is part of the IEBC’s mandate as articulated in Article 257 of the Constitution and therefore the Commission cannot sabotage it, ” said Chebukati.

Read: BBI Secretariat Gives IEBC 16 Days To Complete Signature Verification

“The Commission has deployed its best human resources to manage the process and the same confirmed by Hon. Junet and his BBI co-chair when they visited the Bomas of Kenya facility on 8th January 2021.”

The Commission Chair, however, confirmed Junet’s remarks that the electoral body faced internet connectivity challenges on Monday and Tuesday.

“The Commission acknowledges having experienced intermittent internet connectivity challenges on the material dates at the facility occasioned by system upgrade of the bandwidth and power outages, ” he added.

Chebukati noted that the Bomas of Kenya management was formally notified of the issue and has since addressed it.

Read Also: Over 500,000 BBI Signatures Verified So Far – Chebukati

“The Commission wishes to assure all stakeholders and the general public that the exercise is going on as expected and that it is committed to ensuring that the process is completed within the shortest time possible, ” said Chebukati.

As at January 8, the Commission had verified 544,624 of over four million signatures submitted to the electoral body. This is above 50 per cent of the one million signatures required to initiate the Constitutional amendment process through a referendum.

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