by Njoroge Kaburo
NAIROBI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's electoral commission on Tuesday appointed a six-member team to preside over the re-run of the presidential election scheduled next month.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati said in a statement the six staff members will work for a period of three months.
Chebukati appointed Marjan Hussein Marjan to be the project coordinator. Head of Operations will be Sidney Namulungu, while Albert Gogo is appointed as Head of ICT.
Those who have been sidelined included the commission's Chief Executive Ezra Chiloba, and his deputy Betty Nyabuto, the commission's director of voter registration.
"As the National Returning Officer, I wish to assure all Kenyans of my commitment to ensure that this fresh presidential election is done in accordance with the Constitution, the relevant laws and that it reflects the sovereign will of the Kenyan people," Chebukati said.
The changes came after opposition leader Raila Odinga said his National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition would not participate in the re-run of the election proposed for Oct. 17 unless it is given "legal and constitutional" guarantees.
Odinga is demanding staff changes and audit of technology in full compliance with the law, noting that the electoral body should establish a transparent and accountable framework for integration of technology.
According to Odinga, the electoral body must take immediate steps to ensure transparency and accountability in the electoral planning and infrastructure.
"You can not do a mistake twice and expect to get different results," Odinga told journalists in Nairobi.
