That the chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) holds a prestigious yet perilous position is undeniable.
The role comes with immense responsibility but also significant risks.
The trajectory of former IEBC chairpersons—including Wafula
Chebukati, who passed away on February 20, 2025, at 63—has been marked by a troubling
pattern of health complications, legal battles, threats, and untimely deaths.
Of Kenya’s four electoral commission chairpersons since the advent of multiparty democracy in 1992, at least three have faced similar misfortunes.
The experiences of Chebukati, Zacchaeus Chesoni, and Samuel Kivuitu underscore the ominous trend that has haunted those who have occupied the office.
Justice Zacchaeus Chesoni
Justice Zacchaeus Chesoni was a distinguished Kenyan jurist who served as the Chief Justice of Kenya from 1997 to 1999.
Before that, he chaired the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) from 1991 to 1995, overseeing the country’s first multiparty elections in 1992—a period fraught with allegations of vote rigging and political violence.
His role in the controversial re-election of President Daniel Arap Moi drew sharp criticism.
Shortly after leaving office, Chesoni developed health complications that led to his untimely death in 1999 at the age of 63.
His fate reinforced the unsettling trend that seems to shadow Kenya’s electoral officials.
Beyond the electoral commission, Chesoni played a crucial role in judicial reforms, advocating for the rule of law and judicial independence.
He hailed from Chimoi, Bungoma County.
Samuel Kivuitu
Samuel Mutua Kivuitu rose to prominence as a defence lawyer in the early 1970s, representing Yatta MP Gideon Mutiso, who was accused of attempting to overthrow President Jomo Kenyatta’s government.
An alumnus of Machakos Boys, Makerere University, and the University of Dar es Salaam, Kivuitu also served as a State Counsel and magistrate before venturing into politics.
He became a Member of Parliament for Parklands (now Westlands) but lost his seat in the controversial 1974 elections.
He later faced further political setbacks in the snap elections of 1983 and the infamous mlolongo (queue voting) elections of 1988.
Kivuitu was appointed as the deputy head of the defunct
Electoral Commission in 1992 under Zacchaeus Chesoni.
He later replaced Chesoni as chairman, overseeing the 1997, 2002, and 2005 elections before presiding over the disastrous 2007 general election.
His handling of the 2007 presidential results—where he infamously admitted, “I don’t know who won the elections,” despite declaring Mwai Kibaki the victor—plunged the country into post-election violence.
At least 1,300 people died while more than 600,000 were displaced. The political fallout led to the disbandment of the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK).
Kivuitu’s later years were marked by illness.
He succumbed to throat cancer at Nairobi’s MP Shah Hospital on February 25, 2013, at the age of 74.
Many believe the stress of his tenure contributed to his declining health.
Issack Hassan
Issack Hassan succeeded Kivuitu, first as chairperson of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) from 2009 to 2011 and later as the first chairperson of the newly formed IEBC from November 2011 to October 2016.
During his tenure, the 2013 general election was challenged by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
In a twist of fate, Hassan was appointed to public service as the chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), where he currently serves.
Wafula Chebukati
Wafula Chebukati’s tenure as IEBC chair during the 2017 and 2022 elections was equally turbulent.
He presided over two highly contested elections, with the 2017 results being annulled by the Supreme Court—the first such ruling in Africa.
After leaving office in January 2023, reports of his deteriorating health emerged.
President William Ruto later alleged there was a plot to abduct and assassinate him during the 2022 election period, underscoring the dangers he faced.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Raila Odinga accused him of
electoral misconduct, leading to a defamation dispute.
The recurring misfortunes of Kenya’s electoral commission heads paint a grim picture of the office—one that demands both resilience and caution.
