Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Vice Chair Juliana Cherera and Commissioner Irene Masit have shed light on their departure from Kenya following the 2022 elections, citing security concerns as the driving force behind their decision.
Cherera disclosed to the National Dialogue Committee that she felt threatened and was deeply concerned about the safety of her children, which prompted her to leave the country. She expressed lingering apprehension about disclosing certain details related to the 2022 polls, asserting that the current environment was not conducive for her and her colleagues to reveal everything.
"My youngest child is only 7 years old, and the situation even affected their schooling. Our social life underwent significant changes. It was tough on my children and family. There are things we can't discuss on camera because it's not a safe space," Cherera explained. "We've faced threats due to what we witnessed and know."
On her part, Masit emphasized that her decision to leave the country was rooted in safety concerns, particularly within her community, where she faced accusations of betraying President William Ruto, as both hail from the Rift Valley region.
"I'm currently outside the country due to security reasons. I come from the Rift Valley, and there are claims that I betrayed the President. I haven't returned home," Masit clarified, revealing that she had been threatened on two occasions and had to leave the country in secrecy.
However, when questioned by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah about why she didn't report these threats to the police, Masit explained, "The second threat occurred at night. I took a motorbike to the airport and was the last passenger on the flight manifest. I didn't report it to the police because I was leaving the country."
Cherera, meanwhile, maintained that they were compelled to leave the Commission, attributing her resignation to the mounting pressure.
Regarding the transparency of the 2022 polls, Cherera raised concerns about the announcement of election results, asserting that it was done in an opaque manner. She pointed out instances when she requested former IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati to livestream the tallying of results, but her request was declined.
"I urged the chair to refresh the screens so that Kenyans could witness how many results were processed. That initiative was halted, and it wasn't something we had collectively agreed upon as the commission," Cherera affirmed, shedding light on some of the challenges and intricacies surrounding the electoral process.