Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna has revealed that Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Erastus Ethekon declined to be photographed with him during the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Gala dinner held in Diani, Kwale County, on Friday night, August 15.
Speaking at the event, Sifuna acknowledged spotting Ethekon in attendance but noted that the commission chairman steered clear of any photo opportunity, a reaction the senator attributed to his own controversial political standing.
The senator turned the moment into a candid observation about the political consequences that have befallen those seen as close to him.
He pointed to two cases as examples; Vihiga senator Godfrey Osotsi who was stripped of his position as ODM deputy party leader and removed as chair of the County Public Investments Committee in the Senate, and Bumula MP Jack Wamboka, who lost the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee in the National Assembly.
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"Those who have associated with me have lost quite a bit...So, for those of you who are eager for a photo with me, be very careful. That photo might cost you quite a bit," he said.
Despite the humour, Sifuna used the platform to deliver a pointed message to the electoral commission as Kenya moves closer to the 2027 General Election.
He described Ethekon as visibly frustrated by some of the questions directed at him during the conference session, but warned the chairman that more intense scrutiny lay ahead.
"I can assure him that the Bomas of Kenya will be a thousand times hotter. The pressure, as they say, only increases from now on," Sifuna said.
The senator outlined specific expectations from the IEBC, calling on the commission to get the procurement of both technology and ballot papers right.
He emphasised that this process must involve all stakeholders at every stage and urged the commission to source technology from reputable companies based in countries that hold their firms accountable for conduct abroad.
"You have to deliver a free, fair, verifiable election as required by our constitution. There are no two ways about it," Sifuna told Ethekon.
Sifuna acknowledged the weight of public expectation he carries as a prominent opposition figure, but suggested the burden on Ethekon and the IEBC was considerably heavier given the constitutional obligations the commission must meet before the next election.
