Kenya’s former head of elections passes away in Nairobi

The family has confirmed the death of Wafula Chebukati, the former chairwoman of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Chebukati, 64, passed away on Thursday, February 20, at 11 p.m.

He was rumored to be seriously ill last week, and now his death has been confirmed.

After receiving treatment for about a week, the former head of IEBC was in a Nairobi hospital.

He was brought to the hospital’s intensive care unit. The cause of Chebukati’s illness is yet unknown.

Chebukati retired in January 2023 after serving as the IEBC chair for a complete six-year tenure.

He oversaw the general elections in 2017 and 2022.

He oversaw three Kenyan elections during his time there: the general election in 2017, the repeat presidential election in October 2017, and the general election in 2022.

He operated his solo practice for 20 years and has 37 years of expertise as a lawyer.

Prior to becoming the head of the IEBC, Chebukati created the partnership law company Cootow & Associate Advocates in Nairobi in 2006; he left the firm on January 17, 2017.

He worked in the fields of dispute resolution, corporate governance, commercial law, and corporate law.

Prior to applying to be the head of IEBC, he was a politician and a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, from which he also resigned.

Although he kept his family life discreet, Chebukati was married to Mary Chebukati and had children.

As the chairman and captain of the Nyali and Mombasa Golf Clubs and a member of the Kenya Golfing Society, Chebukati was an enthusiastic golfer.