More Trouble For Cherera As IEBC Staff Reject Her

IEBC Vice Chair Juliana Cherera has found herself in more trouble with IEBC staff following her previous ugly spat with the commission’s Chair Wafula Chebukati.

This is after new information emerged regarding the four-day retreat organized by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in Mombasa for all its staff to assess the commission’s conduct of the August 9 poll.

Sources privy to the matter intimated that IEBC Vice-chairperson, Juliana Cherera, and her three other dissenting commissioners felt the ire of the staff after they were booed and openly rejected by IEBC staff.

A section of the commission’s staff faulted Cherera, Irene Masit, Francis Wanderi and Justus Nyang’aya, for the widening rift within the commission and casting the electoral body badly in the public eye.

Speaking to the media, Cherera confirmed the incident but at the same time pointed out that they also received praises in equal measure for their boldness in speaking out.

“Yes, I was booed. The other commissioners were booed too. But amidst the booing, some cheered for us.” Cherera said.

IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati and Vice Chair Juliana Cherera at a past meeting

In an interesting twist, Cherera took issue with the IEBC chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, for not intervening during the chaotic session when some of the staff hurled words at them.

“The chairman was in attendance and watched silently as some clusters of staff booed us and he did not raise a finger to stop them,” she explained.

During the retreat, Chebukati pointed an accusing finger at the four breakaway commissioners for the chaos at Bomas due to their divergent views. He added that the actions of Cherera’s team caused innocent officials to be subjected to arrests and harassment by law enforcement officers.

“The most unfortunate incident was the false accusation by commissioners and fellow staff – under oath – that exposed innocent hardworking staff to arbitrary arrests and abductions, intimidation and harassment by security agencies and political goons, and other forms of obstructing election officials from conducting their duties.” Chebukati had noted.

Chairman Chebukati has the support of President William Ruto who has heaped praises on him for his conduct of the election while Cherera and her team have the support of Azimio leader Raila Odinga who termed them as patriots.