Wafula Chebukati, the former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, has died. Mr Chebukati has been in and out of hospital for the past one year, and became critically ill last week.
The former IEBC boss had been admitted to a hospital in Nairobi where he was undergoing treatment for nearly a week. Chebukati, aged 64, died at 11 pm on Thursday.
The Former IEBC boss had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital. Chebukati served as IEBC chair for a full term of six years and retired in January 2023. He presided over the 2017 and 2022 General Elections.
During his tenure, he managed to oversee three Kenyan elections: the 2017 Kenyan general election, the October 2017
Kenyan repeat presidential election and the 2022 Kenyan general election. He was a lawyer with 37 years of experience and ran his sole proprietorship law firm for 20 years.
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In 2006, Chebukati founded a Nairobi-based partnership law firm Cootow & Associate Advocates, which he resigned from on January 17, 2017, prior to becoming IEBC chairperson.
He practiced corporate law, commercial law, corporate governance and dispute resolution. He was a politician and member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, which he also resigned from, before applying for the position of chairperson of IEBC.
Chebukati was married to Mary Chebukati, and had children, though he kept his family life private. Mary was appointed Chairperson of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) in 2023, succeeding Jane Kiringai.
Chebukati was an avid golfer, serving as captain and chairman of the Nyali and Mombasa Golf Clubs and a member of the Kenya Golfing Society.
Early Life and Education
Wafula Chebukati was born on December 22, 1961, in Kiminini, Trans Nzoia County, Kenya, making him a member of the Luhya community. He spent much of his life in Bungoma County. His educational journey began at St. Peter’s Mumias Boys High School, followed by Bokoli Secondary School, and completed his secondary education at Lenana High School in Nairobi.
Chebukati pursued higher education at the University of Nairobi, where he earned a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree in 1985. He then attended the Kenya School of Law and was admitted to the roll of advocates in 1986. Later, he enhanced his credentials with a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
Legal Career
Chebukati built a robust legal career spanning over three decades. He specialized in areas such as international commerce, trade and investment law, corporate law, governance, environmental law, litigation, dispute resolution, maritime law, and labour laws.
For 20 years, he ran a sole proprietorship law firm before founding Cootow & Associates Advocates in Nairobi in 2006. He served as the managing partner of this firm until January 2017, when he stepped down to assume his role at the IEBC, adhering to legal requirements to avoid conflicts of interest.
Politics
Before his IEBC tenure, Chebukati briefly ventured into politics. In the 2007 general elections, he contested the Saboti parliamentary seat in Trans Nzoia County under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, led by Raila Odinga.
He lost to Eugene Wamalwa of the Party of National Unity (PNU) and subsequently distanced himself from active politics, resigning his ODM membership and declaring no future interest in elective positions.
Tenure as IEBC Chairman
Chebukati was appointed IEBC Chairman by then-President Uhuru Kenyatta in January 2017, succeeding Ahmed Issack Hassan. His six-year term, which began on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 17, 2023, made him the first IEBC chairperson to complete a full constitutional term. His tenure was marked by significant electoral events and controversies.
In the 2017 General Elections, Chebukati oversaw the August 2017 elections, which resulted in Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory over Raila Odinga. The Supreme Court annulled the presidential election due to irregularities, leading to a repeat election in October 2017, which Kenyatta won after Odinga boycotted it. The period was tumultuous, with internal IEBC divisions, the resignation of Commissioner Roselyn Akombe, and the exit of CEO Ezra Chiloba amid opposition protests.
In the 2022 General Elections, Chebukati chaired the August 2022 elections, declaring William Ruto the winner with 50.49% of the vote against Odinga’s 48.85%. Four IEBC commissioners (who came to known as the “Cherera Four”) publicly rejected the results, alleging discrepancies, but the Supreme Court upheld Ruto’s victory. This election further polarized opinions about Chebukati, with Ruto’s supporters praising him as a hero of democracy, while Odinga’s camp accused him of rigging.
Recognition and Criticism
In 2023, President Ruto awarded Chebukati the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (EGH), Kenya’s second-highest civilian honour, for his service. However, he faced allegations of bias and corruption, including a 2017 claim of conflict of interest involving his law firm, which Parliament dismissed for lack of evidence.
Personal Life
Chebukati was married to Mary Chebukati, and they have children, though he keeps his family life private. Mary, as it were, was appointed Chairperson of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) in 2023, succeeding Jane Kiringai.
Chebukati is an avid golfer, serving as captain and chairman of the Nyali and Mombasa Golf Clubs and a member of the Kenya Golfing Society.
Post-IEBC Developments
Since retiring in January 2023, Chebukati has largely stayed out of the public eye. Reports in February 2025 suggested he was critically ill and admitted to a Nairobi hospital’s ICU, though no official confirmation substantiated these claims until his death was announced.
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