IEBC Chairman Ahmed Isaack Hassan at Lowell Auditorium

"650 members of the Electoral Commission of Kenya were fired 2008 and sent home,” said the new Chairman Ahmed Isaack Hassan of the Independent Election and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) when visiting Boston region to discuss and get views from Kenyans Living abroad as regards to their voting in next election, 2012. He said, “Kenyans burnt voting cards,” after the previous election which ended up igniting the worst post election violence that saw over 1000 Kenyans lose their lives and Kenya become a global story. Hassan however said, “After becoming the Interim Independent Elections Commissioner (IIEC) from May 2009 and thereafter the Chairman of IEBC was formed we have conducted 12 by elections and not a single one has being challenged in court.” Kenyans in greater Boston region appreciated this remark.

The IEBC Chairman in encouraging Kenyans noted that it was not just about the IEBC it was about people taking full responsibility of their elections. He said, “Your vote is your future.” On the new commission the chairman noted that the 9 Commissioners currently seated went through an intensive questioning  before getting the job saying, “Only myself and former Ambassador to the U.S, Ambassador Nzimbo were retained from the IIEC to the newly formed IEBC.” He added, “To get the advertised post one had to apply, be vetted grilled, I was personally questioned for two and half hours, people were invited to give memorandums on you for or against, you had to satisfy chapter 6 of constitution, get certificate of clearance from students loans board, certificate of clearance from Criminal Investigation Department (CID), certificate of clearance from tax revenue authority, certificate of clearance from credit bureau, certificate of clearance from department of public prosecution.”

This type of vetting may help Kenya from the loose talk of the former Chairman of Electoral Commission of Kenya who some say is the person who violated the constitution by interpreting the results rather than reporting and by so doing told the world the results were not fair. Yet, as he made the statements he did not understand at that particular time he was telling the Kenyans he had failed. Hassan guaranteed the Kenyans present of a fair election 2012.

Dr. Wilson Endege who has started an initiative to see Diaspora Kenyans not only vote but also be part of those offering their services to be elected noted that the election day should be kept during the month of August as he questioned why there is a rush to change a constitution that has just being passed. He said he could understand this first time the commission wanting more time but said in future the date should remain as August and not December as passed in the constitution.