Former IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati/FILEFormer Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati battled brain cancer until he died of cardiac arrest last Friday, the family has revealeed.
In a press briefing Monday, family spokesperson Eric Nyongesa explained that this was discovered in April 2023, a few months after he exited office.
Nyongesa said following this, he was flown to Germany where he underwent a successful surgery to remove the tumour.
“Because of the stage in which the cancer was, the doctors recommended that he need to go an immediate surgery, and the family having explored many options, he underwent a very successful operation,” said Nyongesa.
He would later spent some time in the country recovering until July the same year when he returned to the country, he stated.
During this period until early 2024, he engaged in various duties in foreign countries where he participated in electoral fora.
In April 2024, Nyongesa said it was discovered that the tumor had recurred forcing him to go back to Germany for a second removal.
He also stayed in the country until August the same year when he flew back to the country to go back to his normal duties.
In December 2024, while on routine checkup at the hospital, he said, it was yet again discovered that the tumor had recurred something that led him to stay in the hospital until January 2025 before he was discharged.
“He came back home as the family explored other possibilities and if it was necessary to undergo another operation or whether there were other options available to manage the issue,” he said.
Chebukati was then re-admitted on February 12, where he was placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). On February 20, 2025, while undergoing treatment, he stated that he suffered a cardiac arrest.
“When we went to the hospital, the information were given then is that the doctors had tried to resuscitate him unsuccessfully,” he narrated.
He also sought to clear the air over speculations about his illness noting that at no particular time his family was called and informed he was clinically dead.
Nyongesa at the same time confirmed that a postmortem will be conducted ahead of the burial slated for March 8 at Chebukati Sabata farm in Kitale home,Trans Zoia County.
