North Eastern MP’s defend commissioner Yakub Guliye

IEBC Commissioner Prof Abdi Guliye on January.

NAIROBI—Members of Parliament drawn from North Easten Kenya have defended a commissioner at the electoral body.

Led by the Majority Leader Aden Duale, the legilslators rallied their support behind commisoner Yakub Guliye.

“We want to tell those targeting the commissioner that he is there to stay,” Duale said at the press gallery in the Parliament building.

On June, Mandera leaders led by the former county senator Billow Kerrow accused commissioner Guliye of hatching a righging scheme in favour of the governor Ali Roba. They also demanded for his resignation.

Last week, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati told off Jubilee over claims their decison to appoint new people to drive the repeat elections were inspired by NASA.

He insisted the commission is independent and termed insinuations on the nine officials as unacceptable.

“I appeal to you, as I have appealed to NASA, that you respect the independence of the commission and allow us to make our internal changes as we had already communicated,” Chebukati’s reply to a letter by Jubilee Secretary General Raphel Tuju read.

Sources said the four commissioners – vice chairperson Consolata Nkatha, Prof Abdi Guliye, Dr Paul Kurgat, and Mr Boya Molu – accused Chebukati of acting unilaterally in selecting the team.