Hon. Issack Hassan, the former IEBC chairman, has suffered another significant setback in his attempt to secure the position of Judge of Appeal, for which he had earlier applied and been shortlisted.
This follows the confirmation of reports that Peter Makori, a Kenyan living in the United States, has filed a petition in court challenging his bid to become a Judge of the Court of Appeal.
According to the report verified by Mambo Mseto, Mr. Makori claims in the petition that one of the most notorious scandals to ever hit the commission, christened ‘Chickengate,’ occurred under Hassan’s watch when he was chairman. He insists that the responsibility ultimately lies with Hassan, even if he was not charged or convicted of the crime.
Issack Hassan with Wafula Chebukati
While Mr. Hassan has repeatedly denied any involvement in the rogue deal, the petitioner insists that this does not absolve him of wrongdoing or responsibility for the scam that happened under his watch.
Former IEBC chairman Hon Isaac Hassan gestures during a past media presserThe scandal was called Chickengate because Trevy James Oyombra, the local conduit tasked with distributing the bribes, referred to the bribe money as ‘chicken’ in correspondences with the UK paymasters.
The two British directors, Nicholas and Christopher Smith, were charged and convicted of bribing IEBC officials with Sh50 million to secure their firm the multibillion-shilling tender ahead of the 2012 general elections.
Former IEBC chairman Hon Issack Hassan gestures during a past media presser
Issack Hassan is one of the names that the Azimio-One Kenya Coalition leader, Hon. Raila Odinga, and his colleagues claimed were part of a long-term plot to rig the 2027 general election.
According to Raila Odinga, an executive-judiciary deal was reached, in which Isaac Hassan and Wafula Chebukati were to be absorbed into the Judiciary for the 2027 Presidential election petition hearing.
