Confusion As IEBC Says Polycarp Igathe Is Still Nairobi Deputy Governor According To Records

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has left a section of Kenyans in shock after revealing that the commission is not aware that former Nairobi County Deputy Governor Polycarp Igathe resigned.

While responding to a letter from the County Assembly Clerk and Speaker Beatrice Elachi, the commission stated that it has never received official communication of Igathe’s exit.

“On the vacancy in the office of the Deputy Governor, Nairobi County, the Commission has not received any formal communication as to the alleged vacancy other than information in the media,”  reads the letter signed by Michael Goa, IEBC Director of Legal and Public Affairs dated January 9, 2020.

Igathe announced his resignation in January 2018 saying he had failed to earn the trust of the county boss Mike Mbuvi Sonko.

“Dear Nairobians, it is with a heavy heart that I resign my seat as elected Deputy Governor of Nairobi City County effective 1 pm on 31st Jan 2018.

Read: Polycarp Igathe Named Managing Director For Equity Bank

“I regret I have failed to earn the trust of the Governor to enable me to drive Admin & Management of the county. Without fear, favour or ill will I step down to avoid abusing or betraying my oath of office to Kenyans, Nairobians and my family. Thank you for the encouraging support given to me so far,” he said in a post on his Twitter account.

For over two years now the county has been without a deputy governor.

It’s until January this year that Sonko appointed Anne Mwenda to the position.

However, the embattled governor, who is charged with graft, was dealt a blow after a Nairobi court stopped Ms Mwenda’s vetting pending a petition by a Nairobi resident challenging her nomination.

IEBC had already cleared the nominee for vetting by the assembly.

Many wondered how the commission cleared Ms Mwenda for vetting for a position that is not vacant.

The Same @IEBCKenya that recently cleared a nominee to be vetted by Nairobi CA for Dep Gov now says that as per their records Igathe is still DG.
Anybody still denying that Bangi na Uchawi imetulemea huku Kenya ? pic.twitter.com/EywSLUuOOe

— Aaron Cheruiyot (@Aaroncheruiyot) March 5, 2020

My tweet on Igathe last December. Now IEBC says there is no evidence that he resigned. https://t.co/ta45eyXBQJ

— Oliver Mathenge (@OliverMathenge) March 5, 2020

https://twitter.com/girwokin/status/1235534614518583296?s=20

Read Also: Igathe Pays Governor Sonko A Courtesy Visit After Abrupt Resignation (Photos)

Nairobi has been in a crisis since Sonko was in December last year charged with 19 counts of graft charges over Ksh357 million and barred from office.

Elachi had also moved to the Supreme Court seeking an advisory opinion on what should happen in the absence of a Governor and his\her Deputy.

The new developments mean that Igathe’s resignation was never gazetted to allow IEBC to declare the position vacant and allow the governor to replace him.

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