A dramatic moment unfolded at a funeral gathering when mourners loudly rejected former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa’s attempt to send his condolences to the late former IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati. The crowd erupted into chants of “Acha akufe!” (Let him die!), signaling their displeasure and apparent resentment towards the deceased electoral official.
The DAP-K Party Leader was condoling with the family of Eric Wambasi in Webuye East, Bungoma County, following the passing of their daughter and Webuye East Sub County Party Deputy Secretary, Wendy Khakasa.
Eugene eulogized Wendy, who died at the age of 40, as a tough campaigner who emerged as a leader in her own right in the ongoing Party grassroots elections in Bungoma, where she was elected as ward secretary and Sub County Deputy Secretary.
The Source of the Anger
Wamalwa, who was speaking at the funeral event, found himself at the center of hostility as mourners dismissed his tribute. The incident highlighted deep-seated grievances held by some Kenyans over Chebukati’s controversial tenure as the head of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), a period marked by disputed elections and allegations of electoral malpractice.
Chebukati, who presided over Kenya’s highly contested 2017 and 2022 elections, remains a polarizing figure in the history of the country’s political landscape. His leadership saw opposition factions, particularly those aligned with the Azimio la Umoja coalition, accuse him of bias and alleged electoral manipulation. The hostility directed at Wamalwa’s condolence message appeared to reflect lingering bitterness among sections of the public who felt that Chebukati played a role in political injustices.
Observers at the funeral noted that Wamalwa was attempting to deliver a message of peace and unity when the heckling began. However, the crowd’s unwavering hostility forced him to cut short his remarks, highlighting the raw emotions still associated with Kenya’s electoral past.
Reacting to the feedback from the crowd, Wamalwa said this is the right time for Kenya to get the right IEBC team in place and urged the newly sworn-in IEBC selection panel to do exemplary work and choose men and women of honor in the elections body
The former electoral chief passed away aged 64 yesterday at Nairobi Hosipital where he had been admitted while critically ill.
