- In Friday’s status conference before the tribunal, commissioner Irene Masit, through lawyer Donald Kipkorir, said that she had been threatened and told to resign by an unidentified woman who allegedly called her earlier in the day.
- Masit also sought to have the proceedings stopped, citing an ongoing case at the High Court that seeks to quash the tribunal’s work.
The three IEBC commissioners who threatened to resign will be investigated individually by the Justice Aggrey Muchelule-led tribunal.
In Friday’s status conference before the tribunal, commissioner Irene Masit, through lawyer Donald Kipkorir, said that she had been threatened and told to resign by an unidentified woman who allegedly called her earlier in the day.
Masit also sought to have the proceedings stopped, citing an ongoing case at the High Court that seeks to quash the tribunal’s work.
“This tribunal is subordinate to the High Court and in view of the fact that now we have a petition which seeks to quash these proceedings, it may only be good order we defer taking directions until after 19th December once we know what the trial judge will direct,” said Kipkorir.
Masit, through Kipkorir, likewise told the Justice Muchelule-led tribunal that it would be inappropriate for her to face it alone, yet her co-accused namely Justus Nyang’aya, Juliana Cherera and Francis Wanderi have already resigned from IEBC.
“Now that there is only one commissioner remaining, there has to be a new mandate unless this tribunal says it has a mandate to revise the gazette notice on its own motion and proceed against one commissioner,” said Kipkorir.
Masit’s attorney added that the suspended IEBC commissioner was ordered to resign by Friday, failure to which there would be unspecified consequences.
She also revealed to the tribunal that her staff including bodyguards and vehicle had been withdrawn despite her being on suspension and not having been sacked.
Responding to Masit’s reservations, the tribunal ruled that the hearings will proceed as the immediate former IEBC commissioners will be investigated individually.
The tribunal also adjourned its sessions to December 20, 2022.
“The commissioners applied for the jobs individually hence they’ll be investigated individually and not collectively. So your client won’t be victimized,” said Justice Muchelele.
The tribunal agreed to resume its session after the determination of a case against its mandate at the High Court on December 19, 2022.
The tribunal also challenged Masit to produce substantial evidence showing that she has indeed been threatened to resign but at the same time stated that her constitutional rights and privileges must be granted.
