After weeks of street protests by opposition leaders and their supporters demanding the removal of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials, in a somewhat surprising move, the government finally yielded to pressure. Bundling the current IEBC commissioners out of office and replacing them with new ones will not, on its own, be the panacea for the massively dented reputation of the IEBC. The unconscionable conduct of some IEBC commissioners greatly contributed to erosion of public trust and confidence that the electoral body could, in its current form and composition, fairly and credibly discharge its duties. The conduct of some of the IEBC commissioners is a microcosm of our society and a damning indictment of the state of affairs in government institutions and entities. Often corruption, nepotism, and tribalism trump merit and fairness.

Source: Daily Nation August 30, 2016 18:15 UTC