The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati says the heat that came with repeat Presidential polls was too much for his family.
In his speech before announcing President Uhuru Kenyatta as the winner of October 26 elections, he said his family suffered the most.
Chebukati said every time his family heard the names he was called on television; they would get affected more than him.
He said his job was to deliver free and credible polls and as such, he cannot please everyone although he was turned into a punching bag by disgruntled quarters.
“People found a good punching bag in me but those in IEBC say I cannot be influenced. I cannot please alI.
It is unfortunate that some have found a punching bag in me while others say I am too principled. In our work, we still will not please everyone,” he maintained.
Chebukati has been under pressure from both Jubilee and NASA as they both tried to have him meet their demands.
After the nullification of the August 8 polls by the Supreme Court on September 1, the DP William Ruto in an interview at Citizen TV claimed that Chebukati was having bight meetings with their competitors in NASA.
But Chebukati in a rejoinder trashed the allegations as unfounded and untruthful.
A few days to the elections, he stood up to the two political outfits and warned them against intimidating the commission.
The Chairman said that he ensured the repeat Presidential election was strictly conducted within the confines of the law.
Terming the recently concluded polls a test on the IEBC, he said, “I’m satisfied that we were able to meet conditions that enabled the commission to deliver a free, fair and credible election,” said Chebukati.
“I am confident we did everything to ensure every Kenyan exercised their right to vote….We came up with a fresh presidential election management team to address concerns. To us as IEBC, all Kenyans and observers, we have had a free, fair and credible election.”