Embattled elections boss Ezra Chiloba is to take a three-week break and will be away during Thursday’s repeat presidential election.
According to sources close to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Mr Chiloba took a “personal decision to be away in order to build confidence in stakeholders” who had complained about commission officials.
The official has been under tremendous pressure from the National Super Alliance to resign, with flagbearer Raila Odinga calling for street protests to force him, as well as other key officials, out of office, accusing them of mismanaging the August 8 election in which President Uhuru Kenyatta was announced the winner.
The election was subsequently annulled by the Supreme Court which concluded it had not been conducted in accordance with the law.
Mr Chiloba takes leave days after a tough-talking chairman Wafula Chebukati demanded that officials mentioned “adversely’’ after the annulled presidential election step aside. The chairman said the election would not be credible with the officials in office.