IEBC CEO Cornered Over Ksh2.7 Billion Debt
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is facing a forensic audit following the discovery of a Ksh2.7 billion debt in legal fees.
IEBC officials, led by CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan, struggled to explain the massive accrual of legal fees when they appeared before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Marjan stated that the commission could not control the number of election petitions filed across the country. While the commission had pre-qualified law firms, it sometimes needed additional legal support during various stages of court proceedings.
He disclosed that the 2022 General Elections led to 124 petitions, overwhelming their limited legal team. Although the Treasury was supposed to allocate funds to cover these expenses, the money was never provided.
“We relied on Article 22 of the Constitution, expecting funding from the exchequer. We couldn’t just sit back while being sued without defending ourselves,” he clarified.
During the session, the committee noted that the commission had incurred this debt while defending itself in numerous election petitions over the past decade.
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However, the committee argued that the fees seemed inflated, suggesting potential misappropriation of public funds.
Committee chairperson Butere MP Tindi Mwale stressed the need for thorough investigations to ensure the billions were spent appropriately.
Additionally, the committee recommended a probe into the various legal firms that represented the commission in the election petitions.
The MPs suspected collusion between some officials and legal firms, leading to exorbitant legal fees and potential fraud.
“We have also called for an investigation into the legal firms that have represented IEBC in petitions. There may have been numerous instances of fraud, with accusations pointing to excessive legal fees defrauding public resources,” Mwale stated.
The commission was advised to employ qualified lawyers to handle expected petitions after each election, reducing the financial strain on the country.
IEBC CEO Cornered Over Ksh2.7 Billion Debt
