A requiem mass for former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati is underway at CITAM Church in Karen.
Chebukati, who served as Kenya’s IEBC chairperson from 2017 to 2023, passed away on February 20 at Nairobi Hospital.
The 63-year-old had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for nearly a week before his death.
His family revealed that he battled brain cancer before succumbing to cardiac arrest.
Chebukati will be buried on March 8 at his Kitale farm, with another funeral service planned for Friday in his rural home.
In a press briefing on February 24, family spokesperson Eric Nyongesa disclosed that Chebukati was diagnosed with brain cancer in April 2023, just a few months after leaving office.
Following the diagnosis, he was flown to Germany, where he underwent a successful surgery to remove the tumor.
“Due to the advanced stage of the cancer, doctors recommended immediate surgery. After exploring various options, the family decided on the procedure, which was very successful,” Nyongesa said.
Chebukati spent some time in recovery before returning to Kenya in July 2023.
However, in April 2024, doctors discovered that the tumor had recurred, necessitating a second surgery in Germany.
After recovering, he returned to Kenya in August 2024 to resume his normal duties.
In December 2024, during a routine check-up, another recurrence was detected. He remained hospitalized until January 2025 before being discharged.
“He came back home as the family explored other treatment options, considering whether another operation was necessary or if alternative management approaches could be pursued,” Nyongesa explained.
Despite his illness, Chebukati continued engaging in professional duties abroad, participating in various electoral forums until early 2024.
Chebukati served a full six-year term as IEBC chair, retiring in January 2023.
During his tenure, he presided over both the 2017 and 2022 General Elections.
On Wednesday, friends, relatives, former IEBC colleagues, and members of the legal profession will pay tribute to him.
Several government officials and politicians are also expected to attend the requiem mass as preparations for his burial on Saturday begin.
A lawyer with 37 years of experience, Chebukati ran his law firm for 20 years before co-founding the Nairobi-based partnership firm Cootow & Associates Advocates in 2006.
He resigned from the firm on January 17, 2017, before taking up his role at the IEBC.
His legal
expertise spanned corporate law, commercial law, corporate governance, and
dispute resolution.
Before becoming IEBC chair, Chebukati was a politician and a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, a position he resigned from before applying for the IEBC role.
He was married to Mary Chebukati, with whom he had children, though he kept his family life private.
Mary was appointed Chairperson of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) in 2023, succeeding Jane Kiringai.
Outside his legal and electoral roles, Chebukati was an avid golfer.
He served as captain and chairman of the Nyali and Mombasa Golf Clubs and was a member of the Kenya Golfing Society.
