Former FKF official faces integrity queries as IEBC panel moves to round two

On the last day of the interview, three Chairperson candidates faced the panel.

A former top official of the Football Kenya Federation was put to task over an active court case as the interviews for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson closed.

The former FKF deputy president, Robert Asembo, was required to explain what would happen should he be picked for the seat and is subsequently convicted.

The panel questioned the potential of violating Chapter Six of the Constitution on leadership and integrity.

“I do not think so because they are allegations. You have to be fair to both the accuser and to me. You are a fair panel and you would also consider me, the accused… Some of us get condemned unheard,” he said

But Asembo said in the interest of justice, there was need to allow the law to take its course.

Asked whether he has had complaints from the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Asembo, who also served as the AFC Leopards secretary general, said he has had cases from the Advocate Complaints Commission that may proceed to the Disciplinary Tribunal.

The Selection Panel also sought his answers on complaints raised against him on dishonorable conduct and another where he is accused of withholding about Sh1.85 million belonging to a client.

Asembo, however, said that he is not aware, adding that he would pursue the matters.

Another candidate, Lillian Manegene called for reforms of the commission’s framework to ensure stability and avoid a situation like in the last elections when there was a falling out among commissioners.

She proposed an amendment to allow dissenting commissioners to formally register their opposition in a bid to contain dramatic boardroom wars.

“We need to amend the IEBC laws. I would form a multi-agency team to address issues surrounding the commissioners because based on the experience we have had before, we need clear legal guidelines for them,” she said.

To illustrate how ready she was for the task, Manegene noted that her middle name, Wanjiku, embodies the new constitutional order and democratic aspirations of the people.

The last candidate, Saul Wamalwa, was put to task to explain the status of his practicing certificate, insisting that he would obtain it by the end of the month, which he stated is the grace period for renewal.

The panel, which today starts interviews for commission members, noted that persons interviewed for the position of the chairperson must also be suitable to hold the office of the Supreme Court judge.

“Vetting of the chairperson is placed as the same level of a Supreme court judge and our interaction with them has shown the bar was extremely high. This is because that person has the capacity and quality of a supreme court judge,” said the Selection Panel Chairman, Nelson Makanda.

He emphasised the need for due diligence, noting that they are not involved in the issuance of certificates that the applicants hold and had to write to vetting institutions and professional bodies to ascertain their membership.

According to Dr Makanda, at the time they were inviting candidates, they had not written to respective bodies because they had a very long list of applicants.

“We could not have asked bodies like Law Society of Kenya to give us responses for 1,357 people who applied. We had to reduce the numbers so that we ask for specific details. This is such serious work and we have no capacity to stand in for bodies like Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission or any other office that does vetting,” he said.

He, however said wealth declaration was not part of what the panel was seeking, explaining that it would be considered during vetting.

“Once we have finished and forwarded names of 11 nominees to the President, he will choose one chairperson and six members and then Parliament will do due diligence on the seven picked and at that point they may consider to include wealth declaration,” he said.

Makanda also explained that the panel is prescribed by an Act of Parliament, adding that whoever sitting in it represents different institutions, which independently nominated them and are now united and working as a team for a good and serious course.

Interviews for over 100 candidates seeking the commission’s membership will run until April 24, with each expected to present valid certificates from Kenya Revenue Authority, Higher Education Loans Board, Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Commission on University Education for those with degrees earned outside the country.

They are also to present clearance certificates from a Credit Reference Bureau. Kenyans with any information of interest have been asked to write to the panel at least five days before a candidate is interviewed to grant them time to respond.