With less than two years to the next general elections, questions continue to arise over why Kenya repeatedly faces electoral delays despite having five years to prepare.
Mulle Musau, National Coordinator of the Elections Observation Group (ELOG), attributes the recurring challenges to leadership failures and poor planning within key institutions.
Speaking in an interview with Radio Generation on Wednesday, Musau said the main cause is “bad manners” among those in positions of responsibility.
“We have the politician, the parliament, basically because it’s supposed to ensure a flowing funding for that continuous process, yeah, for that IBC to conduct itself, to conduct its affairs, they must be provided with adequate budgets, the laws which need to be tweaked here and there again.”
He explained that members of Parliament are expected to fast-track legislation and allocate sufficient funding to allow the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to function efficiently.
Likewise, commissioners and staff at IEBC, who enjoy security of tenure, are required to proactively manage their duties. Musau argued that a lack of accountability and leadership discipline continues to undermine electoral preparedness.
Musau also pointed to the predictable five-year electoral cycle as another factor.
“A city says it should be predictable. We have a calendar year where we know there is January to December. We have processes which are defined constitutionally about how they will be carried out,” he said.
He emphasized that processes such as voter registration and education are ongoing and should be adequately budgeted and planned in advance.
Drawing a comparison with the education sector, Musau highlighted how planning in schools is methodical and predictable.
“You go to school. We know the terms. You go and ask any teacher, any head teacher, to come here. This is my work plan for the entire semester or term. And I know when exams begin. I know when the best time for us to go to trips is supposed to be a predictable process.”
Musau further expressed concern over delays in appointing IEBC commissioners, saying, “We are still talking about very new, brand new commissioners in place right now. Why are we not having those commissioners in good time?”
He concluded that the issues boil down to two major problems; a culture of mediocrity in leadership and inefficiency in planning, which prevent the country from being ready for elections in a timely manner.