Wafula Chebukati is a Kenyan lawyer and the former chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the body that oversees elections in Kenya.
He was appointed to the position in January 2017 by the retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and retired in January 2023 after his six-year term ended.
During his tenure, he presided over three controversial elections: the 2017 general election, the 2017 presidential election rerun, and the 2022 general election.
But who is Chebukati and what is his legacy?
Wafula Chebukati Education
Chebukati was born on December 22, 1961, in Bungoma County, but he hails from Kiminini in Trans-Nzoia County.
He attended St Peters Mumias, Bokoli Secondary School, and Lenana High School. He then joined the University of Nairobi, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1985.
Chebukati proceeded to the Kenya School of Law and was admitted to the role of advocate in 1986. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
Chebukati Career and Politics
Chebukati is a corporate lawyer interested in international commerce, trade, and investment law, corporate law, governance, and environmental law.
He founded Cootow & Associates Advocates, a Nairobi-based law firm, in 2006. He was accused of conflict of interest by fronting his law firm for contracts at the IEBC in 2017.
Chebukati was also a politician and a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). He vied for the Saboti parliamentary seat in 2007 but lost to Eugene Wamalwa, the current Water Cabinet Secretary.
He resigned from ODM before applying for the IEBC chairperson post in 2017.
Chebukati Achievements and Challenges
Chebukati joined the IEBC as the chairperson in January 2017, succeeding Issack Hassan.
He faced several challenges, such as the resignation of four commissioners, the murder of the ICT manager Chris Msando, the nullification of the 2017 presidential election by the Supreme Court, the boycott of the 2017 presidential election rerun by the opposition leader Raila Odinga, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) referendum, and the 2022 general election.
Despite these challenges, Chebukati managed to conduct the elections and maintain the credibility and independence of the IEBC.
He also introduced several reforms, such as the use of biometric voter identification, electronic transmission of results, and online voter registration.
He also advocated for the protection of the IEBC budget and staff from political interference.
Wafula Chebukati wife
Wafula Chebukati is married to Mary Wanyonyi Chebukati, a senior accountant and a public servant.
Mary has been shortlisted among 477 candidates for the position of principal secretary in President William Ruto’s government.
She currently serves as the senior deputy accountant general and head of the accounting unit at the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning.
She has also served on the Kenyatta National Hospital, Maasai Mara University, and Co-operative University of Kenya boards. Mary holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and a master’s degree in business administration.
She is also a certified public accountant and a certified mediator. Mary and Wafula have been married since 1990 and have three children.
Wafula Chebukati Children
Wafula Chebukati and his wife Mary have three children: Rachel, Jonathan, and Emmanuel Chebukati. Rachel is a lawyer and a human rights activist.
She is the founder and executive director of the Center for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW), a non-governmental organization that advocates for women’s rights and gender equality in Kenya.
Jonathan is a software engineer and a web developer.
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He is the co-founder and chief technology officer of Kazi, a platform that connects employers and job seekers in Africa. Emmanuel is a student and an aspiring musician.
He is passionate about gospel music and plays the piano and the guitar.
Chebukati net worth
Wafula Chebukati’s net worth is not publicly disclosed, but it is estimated to be around Ksh 300 million as of 2022.
This is based on his salary as the IEBC chairperson, which was Ksh 924,000 monthly, excluding allowances.
He also runs a law firm, Cootow & Associates Advocates, that generates a good amount of money. Moreover, he has multimillion businesses that generate him a lot of income.
He owns several properties, including a mansion in Karen, a farm in Trans Nzoia, and several plots of land in Nairobi and other counties.
Wafula Chebukati Sickness
As of 2023, there is no concrete information regarding Wafula Chebukati’s current health condition.
It is important to emphasize that any claims suggesting his health is deteriorating or that he is seriously ill should be treated with skepticism until reliable sources provide verified information.
However, in 2022, Chebukati was rumored to have flown to Germany for specialized treatment after he allegedly collapsed at his office.
His son, Emmanuel, dismissed the rumors and said that his father was fine and healthy. He also said that his father had not traveled to Germany, but had gone to South Africa for a conference.
Chebukati today
Wafula Chebukati retired on January 17, 2023, together with two other commissioners, Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu, after their six-year term at the IEBC came to an end.
He is regarded as one of the most influential and controversial figures in Kenya’s political history. He oversaw three elections that were marred by violence, disputes, and legal battles.
Wafula Chebukati also implemented reforms that improved the efficiency and transparency of the electoral process.
He is currently involved in various activities, such as giving lectures, attending conferences, and writing books. He is also planning to launch a foundation that will promote democracy and good governance in Africa.
Wafula Chebukati has also expressed interest in joining politics and vying for a parliamentary seat in the 2027 general election. Chebukati is a respected lawyer and a former electoral chief who played a crucial role in Kenya’s democracy.
He oversaw three elections that were marred by violence, disputes, and legal battles. He also implemented reforms that improved the efficiency and transparency of the electoral process.
Chebukati retired on January 17, 2023, together with two other commissioners, Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu, after their six-year term at the IEBC came to an end.
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