Ruto Suspends Four IEBC Commissioners, Appoints 5 Member Tribunal to Probe Them

President William Ruto has suspended four IEBC commissioners and formed a tribunal to probe them. 

The suspension now means that they will still earn half of their monthly salary until the results of the probe are out.

Ruto has also appointed Court of Appeal Judge Aggrey Muchelule to chair a five-member tribunal set to probe the four embattled IEBC Commissioners.

The four are IEBC vice Chair Juliana Cherera, Commissioners Justus Nyangaya, Irene Masit and Francis Wanderi.

Other members of the tribunal are Caroline Kamende Daudi, Linda Kiome, Mathew Nyabena and Khamis Saed.

According to a Gazette Notice dated December 2, the role of the tribunal will be to consider the petition for the removal of the four commissioners from office.

The tribunal will be required to submit a report and its recommendations to the president after probing the four.

The commissioners differed with their chairman Wafula Chebukati on the outcome of the presidential elections and disowned the final results.

The National Assembly voted Thursday night after extending sittings beyond the normal time to adopt a committee report that recommended their ejection.

The House which comprised of mainly MPs allied to President Ruto's Kenya Kwanza camp unanimously backed the committee report after opposition lawmakers walked out earlier.

The commissioners are accused of gross violation of the constitution, incompetence and gross misconduct during the August 9 elections.

MPs, in approving the establishment of a tribunal, said the petitioners had confirmed a prima facie case against the commissioners.

The gazettement of the tribunal comes after Parliament adopted a report of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee that recommended the removal of the four commissioners from office.

The committee asked President William Ruto to form a tribunal to probe the four and at the same time suspend the four from office.