Family members have confirmed the death of former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati. He passed away on Thursday night at 11 p.m. after nearly a week of hospitalization in Nairobi.
The 64-year-old had been reportedly critically ill, though his specific ailment remains undisclosed. At some point, word went around that his condition was dire.
Chebukati served a full six-year term as IEBC chair, overseeing both the 2017 and 2022 General Elections. Notably, he presided over three polls: the 2017 Kenyan general election, the October 2017 repeat presidential election, and the 2022 Kenyan general election.
Before stepping into public office, Chebukati was a lawyer for 37 years, spending 20 of those running his own practice. In 2006, he founded a Nairobi-based partnership, Cootow & Associate Advocates, and resigned from the firm on January 17, 2017, shortly before taking up the IEBC role.
His political background included membership in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, which he also resigned from when he applied for the position of IEBC chair. He retired from his electoral duties in January 2023, concluding a tenure that significantly shaped Kenya’s election landscape.
Chebukati’s family has requested privacy as details of his final medical condition remain confidential. Observers describe him as a dedicated figure in Kenya’s democratic process, leaving behind a legacy of diligence and commitment to electoral integrity.
